Start the year strong: help your staff beat the January Blues
Happy new year! Or is it?
Some welcome the new year as the perfect time to refresh routines and recharge. But for others, January can be a real letdown.
Coming off a busy holiday season, the quiet of January can sometimes feel lonely. Add in financial stressors and the grey, cold and long days of winter, people can struggle to stay positive this time of year.
The January Blues can affect a person's health and well-being, enjoyment of life, and how they do their job. It’s important for employers and managers to understand the post-holiday slump. This awareness will help you foster a psychologically safe workplace and make decisions that benefit your staff’s mental health, rather than contributing to the stress many of them are already experiencing.
3 tips to help your employees beat the January Blues
Ease seasonal mental health pitfalls and help your employees start the year on a positive note with these tips.
- Set realistic deadlines. It’s important to give ourselves time to adjust and fall back into a routine. Make sure employees know they can ease back into their work if they were disconnected or had a busy work schedule over the holidays. Doing this will lower their stress, boost their energy levels and positively impact the quality of their work.
- Set achievable goals. Help your employees set realistic and manageable goals for the new year. Encourage them to break down larger goals into smaller tasks. This will provide them with a clear sense of direction and an ability recognize their accomplishments.
- Unite your team. Consider organizing an all-staff check-in this month (in-person or virtual) to reconnect team members. This can help reduce feelings of loneliness and remind staff of their support system, both on and off the job.
By implementing these strategies, managers reinforce a desire for a healthy and happy team and demonstrate their willingness to help team members succeed. This care and concern can be a great motivator for a more positive and productive month.
Remember, a little effort goes a long way in creating a supportive and engaging work environment.
Additional Resources
- Seasonal Depression Isn’t a Myth, and Leaders Should Be Equipped to Address It (Trusted Leader Blog)
- Psychologically Healthy and Safe Workplaces (video)
- What do we really mean when we talk about workplace wellness? (article)
- Safety Tips: Safety in 60 Seconds: Workplace Psychological Safety (video series)
- Psychological Safety - A Roadmap. An evidence-based tool to help employers support employees achieve their psychological health and safety goals.
The information in this article is accurate as of its publication date.
Have health and safety questions? Please contact Denise Lam, WSPS Account Manager, Small Business at [email protected].
