Happy New Year!
Now that we’re all back to the grind, let’s talk about January’s reputation as the least productive month of the year. The post-holiday slump is real – teams return to work with noticeably less pep in their step.
This time of year can feel like you’re trying to light a fire with damp wood. You’ve just wrapped up holiday celebrations, year-end reviews, and goal-setting for the new year. Add in colder weather, shorter days, lingering financial strains from holiday spending, and exhaustion from travel, parties, and family gatherings.
Tips for Keeping Morale High After the Holidays
This isn’t just about a slow season. It’s a challenge that could cost you in teamwork, retention, and results. Here are four actionable tips to boost morale, rekindle motivation, and set your workplace up for a positive, productive year.
1. Recognize the January Slump Out Loud
Your team knows they’re feeling off. Ignoring the post-holiday blues won’t make them disappear. Instead, acknowledge the collective slump and set a tone of empathy. Something as simple as, “We know this time of year can be a bit tough but we’re here to get through it together,” can validate how employees feel and let them know leadership is paying attention.
Take it a step further by holding an open meeting to refocus and energize your team for the year ahead. Use this opportunity to share upcoming goals, celebrate wins from last year, and remind employees of their value to the organization.
2. Focus on Purpose and Positivity
When employees return after the holidays, they’re often hit with a backlog of work. A joyless reminder of why they needed a vacation in the first place. Now is the time to help your team reconnect with the why behind their work.
Host a brief workshop or send a message reminding employees of your company’s mission, values, and how each person’s contributions make a difference. Combine this with small bursts of positivity. For example:
- Start team meetings with a shoutout or success story.
- Send weekly recognition emails spotlighting individuals or teams.
- Encourage managers to have one-on-one conversations to check in and express appreciation.
Research shows that 70% of employees say their sense of purpose is largely defined by work. Keep the focus on what matters and make positivity contagious.
3. Spark Social Connections
January can feel lonely both at work and outside of it. After the social buzz of the holidays, employees may find themselves isolated and uninspired. You can step in to reconnect people in meaningful ways.
Here are a few low-cost, high-impact ideas:
- Host a team-building lunch, virtual coffee chat, or potluck.
- Organize a fun team challenge or lighthearted competition.
- Create space for peer-to-peer recognition, like a kudos board or Slack channel.
4. Invest in Professional Development
Nothing says “We believe in you” like opportunities to learn and grow. January is the perfect time to launch new development initiatives that inspire employees to set goals and invest in themselves.
Here are a few ideas:
- Offer professional development stipends for courses or conferences.
- Provide manager skills training and equip your managers to lead with confidence through hands-on learning, coaching, and real-world practice.
- Offer employee-wide interpersonal skills training to cultivate civility and respect and help employees strengthen their communication and teamwork abilities.
- Encourage mentorship programs where employees can share knowledge.
Let’s Kickstart Change, Together
January may come with jitters, but it doesn’t have to derail your culture. We work with teams to build positive, high-performing workplaces year-round. From practical strategies to elevate morale to long-term plans for cultivating respect and civility, we help you turn challenges into opportunities.
So give us a holler if you’d like some help planning your culture initiatives for 2025. And check out our ebook on employee engagement for easy, budget-friendly tips that work.
Let’s turn January jitters into January joy!
