Baby it’s cold outside! Don’t fall victim to the winter blues

A chill is in the air and the days are getting shorter. People start to spend more time inside and that dreary winter weather can play havoc with employee motivation and productivity.

But don’t let that get your employees down. Now is the time to help them get back the spring in their step. Below are some simple tips that can help keep your workforce energised and beat the winter blues.

Encourage people to take breaks

Staying inside all day in warm heating can send you a little stir crazy or make you feel tired and lethargic. Encourage people to move around and step away from their work for a little while. Going outside to get some fresh air also breaks up the day and awakens the senses. If that’s not possible consider putting a treat in the kitchen or staff room – you will soon have people venturing over, interacting with each other and having a well deserved break.

Make your workplace more comfortable

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean that the heating needs to be turned on as high as it will go. Make sure your staff are comfortable, warm from the winter chill but not overheated. Also small adjustment to your lighting can help brighten the environment. Look to see if there are ways you can let more natural light into your workspace.

Put a smile on people’s faces

If there is there a special occasion coming up why not celebrate it! Birthdays, weddings or acknowledgement of successful projects are all things that will put a smile on people’s faces.  A morning tea, team lunch or end of day drinks all help with team interaction. Don’t underestimate the value of these simple little things that can help to make your employees day brighter.

Have some fun!

Why not introduce some team building exercises or even an offsite workshop that encourages conversation between employees. You spend so many hours at work you need to make sure you enjoy them and a laugh with colleagues can always brighten a long day.

Barry Lehrer

Having run my own small business for over twenty years, I understand one of the biggest challenges is protecting your business from potentially damaging personnel or HR issues. That’s why I developed Diffuze.