Holidays have their ups and downs when it comes to employee productivity. On the one hand, they serve as a cognitive reboot that helps refresh employee productivity since the holidays have provided much rest. But on the other hand, they can also result in a holiday hangover that causes distractions at work due to the absence from work. According to a study, this dip in workplace productivity is reported among 62 per cent of companies during and after the holiday season.
In any case, employers should expect their employees to have slight difficulties in readjusting back to their daily work routine. Thus, it is vital for employers to strike a balance between productivity and flexibility post-holiday season while maintaining high morale in the office.
To help employees get back on track, here are 7 strategies business leaders can try:
1. Make it possible to work anywhere
Hybrid working is a rising phenomenon in many organisations across the business industry. Nowadays, there is a growing number of working individuals who use Wi-Fi to work from home and in other places aside from the company’s office. This helps avoid unnecessary commuting such as long waits in traffic tailbacks. To make flexible working a success, a vital condition is to enable employees to log into the necessary things for work and have access to all files. By allowing employees with flexible working, it ultimately translates to valuable time-saving, and benefits not only the employees but the organisation as well.
2. Conduct casual one-on-one catch-up meetings
Managers and their employees can benefit from casual one-on-one catch-up meetings because they foster open and meaningful communication. This can be done in the pantry or break-out area to help employees boost their productivity and performance as they share and go through task lists, align priorities, motivate one another, give and receive feedback, and establish expectations. It is a great opportunity for employees to identify and address issues, blockers, or challenges with their managers as they arise – this is especially beneficial for introverts who may find it rather difficult to communicate during regular meetings. Additionally, employees can also share stories about their holiday break.
3. Set up well-appointed workplaces
A well-appointed workplace is essential for promoting mental concentration and the well-being of employees, regardless of where they accomplish their work. It would be good to ensure that team members are equipped with the proper tools they need to do work if they ever switch working environments after the holidays and see to it that their work environment is conducive to productivity. For those following a remote arrangement, consider assigning them to a coworking office so they can quickly return to their work without having to go through the trouble of creating their own home office. There are many office spaces for rent in Singapore, such as the ones at GreenHub.
4. Create opportunities for discussion
Holidays introduce a break in routine, which rejuvenates employees and grants them refreshed vitality. However, this means that they will need to transition once it is time to return to the office. A great way to ease this transition is by offering employees the opportunity to engage with one another and discuss their experience during their break and the goals they have set for themselves on their return. This is generally the case with employees returning from the new year holidays. Letting them discuss their new year’s resolutions and how they enjoyed their break can help increase employee motivation as they pick up where they left off from work.
5. Re-evaluate goals
It is highly recommended to evaluate your professional goals upon returning to work, and so should you encourage and motivate employees to do the same. More often than not, employees can become overwhelmed at this time, and their big picture goals can get lost in the noise. Help re-establish their goals by clarifying objectives for the upcoming months and encourage them when needed.
6. Encourage greater organisation
The amount of piled up work that awaits employees can be rather daunting. A way to boost positivity and productivity among the staff is by helping them stay organised. Doing so eliminates stressors and enables employees to get back and stay on top of their projects. Another option to improve the organisation is by tasking workers to personalise their space. Based on psychological science, professionals that have the freedom to personalise their working area can better dispel negative thoughts and feelings while retaining a clear sense of control over their workspace.
7. Establish teamwork opportunities to promote employee engagement
Wherever possible, create opportunities for employees that require teamwork to complete projects. Encouraging interaction with workers often results in more unique and creative approaches and solutions only made possible by taking advantage of a broader range of skills. While returning to work may cause employees to struggle in getting themselves going, placing them in a team could be the way to quickly get back their productive streak by jump-starting their mental energy.
Conclusion
Getting back to work may prove to be a challenge for employees, but it is a challenge that they should ideally have become familiar with by now. Nonetheless, it is still in an employer’s best interests to help facilitate their teams’ transition back to work by dispelling their post-holiday hangover.
If you need help boosting your remote team’s performance after the holidays, coworking spaces may be the solution you need. At GreenHub Singapore, our coworking office spaces for lease serve as the ideal environment for remote working with its modern office-like setting and amenities that make employees feel right at home. Moreover, our spaces are complemented with green and biophilic design elements designed to promote productivity and your worker’s mental and physical well-being. Experience our offices for yourself and book a tour today!