Motivating Your Team During the Least Productive Time of the Year

There’s been talk about the summer slump in the UK, but a report by Teamwork analysing more than 7 million tasks confirms that December is the least productive time of the year. For UK workers, returning to the office after Christmas while facing an icy January can make every day feel like an endless loop of Mondays.

With job dissatisfaction higher than ever, how can you motivate, inspire and retain your talent during the least productive time of the year?  

UK Workers Need a Break

Whether your teams are fully remote, hybrid or back in the office, January can be a difficult month for feeling motivated and connected to work, especially with the cold, the Christmas comedown and the financial squeeze that often follows December.

Workers might not be saying this out loud, but their online behaviour certainly reflects the fact that they’re tired out and in need of a break. The following pertinent search terms have seen a rise in popularity in the past month:

• Burnout: +20.38%
• Annual leave: +14.35%
• Work-life balance: +14.33%
• Annual leave calculator: +12.18%

Work-life balance is an especially critical factor. A recent survey by Protime UK found that, while 93% of workers say work-life balance is critical for good overall wellbeing, 67% find themselves unable to keep their work-life boundaries in place. Meanwhile, our research also shows that burnout is a serious problem in the UK, with London topping the list as the most burnt-out city globally.

While a December break is supposed to help workers return to work feeling refreshed and motivated, many are likely to struggle with a return to an imbalanced and overcommitted routine.  

Brits More Likely to Quit in January

Historically, January has been a particularly popular month for resignations, according to job websites like Glassdoor and LinkedIn. This trend looks set to continue thanks to high rates of job dissatisfaction in Britain. One in four (24%) UK workers are dissatisfied in their careers, and career curiosity is on the rise as a third (33%) of Brits say they want to switch careers in the next year.

Productivity also takes a dip this time of year. Around 26% say January is their least productive month, with December a close second at 14%, according to Hitachi Capital Invoice Finance research.    

The biggest challenge for business owners is motivating teams during a potentially difficult period. The general malaise associated with returning to work after the holidays can be attributed to numerous factors and varies between companies and teams.

Reasons most often include:

• Career stagnation or boredom
• Issues with management
• Dissatisfaction with salaries or working hours
• Heavy workload and unrealistic expectations
• Lack of appreciation or value

A Case of the ‘January Blues’

It’s estimated that one in three Brits experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD) during winter. This is caused by a lack of exposure to sunlight during the darker winter months, although cold temperatures and weak daylight also contribute to this sad state.

During this time, employees can experience a feeling of general unhappiness, fatigue, anxiety, or depression as the days get shorter and colder, which can also be accompanied by food cravings, trouble sleeping, confusion, forgetfulness and lack of concentration. While this condition is quite common in the UK and countries with varying seasons, employers should not overlook it as it can seriously affect staff productivity, motivation, morale, and even their physical and mental health.

Motivating teams during the most challenging months of the year

There are a few ways to help people feel more engaged at work at the start of the year.

• Increase flexibility

Search behaviour shows us that workers want more balance. Be more flexible about how and when your teams work. Some may be recovering from a busy holiday or still entertaining family, while others prefer to work at home at the start of the year and ease into more office days. Fortunately, more businesses than ever before are offering increased flexibility, which can make going back to the office less daunting for many after the festive season.

• Offer support

Burnout is real, and it’s a compelling reason to talk about mental health at work. Provide education and resources as part of your benefits program, like subscriptions to wellbeing apps, virtual counselling, financial advice or an employee assistance program. These initiatives can be a lifeline for those not feeling motivated, dealing with financial worries, or suffering from seasonal affective disorder.    

• Set goals

Career growth is motivating, and January is an excellent time to talk to individuals about progression, goals and plans for the year. Help visualise what the next few months look like and allow them to expand their skills and face new challenges, which is a great way to boost engagement.  

• Rethink your workspace

You can’t change the weather, but you can look at your office environment and make it more conducive to staff morale and productivity. Whether you need to declutter, change the lighting, brighten the space or move furniture around in time for a fresh start in January.