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Boosting Employee Morale during the Winter Months

How can you fight back against the distracting influence of the holiday season and keep your staff focused on the task at hand? And after the season is over and the long dreary months of January and February inch by, how can you get your teams to see past the cold and monotony and throw themselves in their work? Here are a few morale boosting tips that can help your organization survive until the spring.

1. Let in the light. In addition to the well documented effects of low light on those who are susceptible to seasonal affective disorder, reduced sunlight can curb energy, increase appetites, and make employees focus more on napping than reviewing the quarterly spreadsheets. Low light makes us hibernate. But you have a company to run, so fight back against thousands of years of evolution and wake up those sleepy brain cells. Open blinds, replace broken bulbs, and reorganize cubicles and furnishings to make the most of the sun.

2. Break up the doldrums. Keep a close eye on sights of burnout and boredom. And when you see them, take action. Start by shifting responsibilities and changing daily tasks to shake bored, checked-out employees out of their grinding routines.

3. Stir things up socially. Whenever possible, don’t let demotivated employees toil through the day all alone. Pair isolated employees and assign projects to teams rather than individuals. Nobody likes pointless meetings just for the sake of having meetings, but sometimes a meeting can be just the thing to encourage employees to interact, touch base, chat, and make sure projects are on track.

4. Feed them. It may sound a little odd to anyone unfamiliar with office life, but those who spend their days in cubicles know that sometimes there’s nothing more exciting than a plate of free sandwiches in the conference room. Again, give your employees a chance to take a break, congregate, and remember why they enjoy working here.

5. Thank them. This move is by no means tied to any season of the year. Gratitude pays off all year round, and there’s never a bad time to let your employees know how much you appreciate their hard work and dedication. Consider anything from a day off, to a written note, to a quick verbal thank you for a job well done.

For more tips on how to keep your office buzzing and your employees engaged throughout the long winter, contact the staffing experts at PSU.

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