After spending a few weeks in the scorching hot sun, with your feet up sipping your favourite cocktail, are you raring to get back into the working frame of mind? Neither are your staff, so we’ve come up with some top tips to ease them through those post-holiday blues.
1. Create a pleasurable work environment
Creating an office that is enjoyable and comfortable to be in will result in a more positive mindset in your staff and they won’t mind returning from their summer break. Well, it’ll go some way to helping!
2. Have a clear out
Make sure the workplace is in a clean, clear state. If it’s not, we recommend a ‘team clean’! There’s nothing less appealing than working in a cluttered environment.
3. Make sure they aren’t returning to a stressful situation
Returning from a summer holiday to an inbox bursting at the seams and 100 different to-do lists is about as stressful as it gets! Where possible, make sure there has been someone covering for the holidaymaker whilst they were away so they don’t have the dreaded FOCU – Fear Of Catching Up.
4. Set realistic goals
Set some goals for your staff to achieve throughout the forthcoming weeks in order to give them a clear aim. Remember, keeping these realistic will ensure staff are encouraged rather than intimidated.
5. Celebrate when these goals are reached
Acknowledging personal achievements and rewarding employees who have gone above and beyond has a very reassuring and uplifting effect!
6. Give them something to look forward to
Whether it’s lunch or after-work drinks, have something lined up for employees to get excited about.
7. Get everyone involved
When it comes to new ideas and decisions, make sure everyone has their say. Involving the whole workforce will allow them each to feel appreciated and a valued member of the team.
8. Inject a little sunshine
There’s nothing worse than being stuck inside on a hot summer’s day, so why not eat lunch in the sun or even take your meetings outside? It will definitely boost the positivity in the office and create a more content environment.
9. Offer some flexibility
Being more accommodating when it comes to office working hours can really help to boost your staff’s morale and productivity. Therefore, a couple of hours off here and there could really contribute to a healthier, more efficient working atmosphere.
10. Get away!
Alternatively, if you or your staff really can’t hack the dreaded holiday blues, why not incentivise them using our travel card and get them working towards their next adventure now!
Whether it’s to reward an employee for a one-off achievement, or an incentive as part of an Employee of the Month scheme, the Inspire Travel Card is a gift card that offers your employees a holiday! With so much choice available from over 250 of our travel partners – which includes Emirates, Sandals and Thomas Cook – finding something that works for everyone’s tastes and budgets couldn’t be easier. The card works like a gift card, where you can either upload a pre-determined amount or add to it throughout the year. Your staff can then use that as money off a deposit, trip or excursion, across the UK and around the world.
