The drop in the temperature during winter often brings a drop in workplace morale. Your employees will feel sluggish, especially once the excitement of the holidays has passed. The ice, snow, and sleet can also cause your employees to dread going out of their homes and coming to work.
Low employee morale will likely lead to absenteeism, poor teamwork, and low productivity, adversely affecting business. And, like a vicious cycle, poor company performance as you enter the new year may further bring down workplace morale.
Implementing employee morale events can help you and your employees beat the winter blues. These events don’t have to be big and fancy productions. Small, in-office events that will have your employees on their feet or smiling as they work will give them something to look forward to each day or week and effectively improve the overall office mood.
Start an In-office Exercise Class
After the Christmas break is the optimal time to encourage employees to exercise. Working out will help your employees shed any holiday weight they may be conscious of and stay warm. Additionally, regular exercise helps improve memory, prevent depression, and keep their immune system healthy.
You can offer fitness opportunities in the form of free gym memberships or start an in-office workout class. An in-office exercise workshop, such as a yoga or Zumba class, will help your employees stay alert during the workday.
Schedule a Team Building Exercise
A team building activity can either be in-office or out-of-office. Spending time with their work friends may help re-energize your employees. It can also help you get to know your team better and create more meaningful connections.
Schedule out-of-office team building activities over the weekend. This gives you more time to bond with your employees while ensuring your day-to-day work will not be too affected. A Friday night team dinner or happy hour celebration can count as a fun bonding activity. It’s an excellent way to end the work week and start a relaxing weekend.
Meanwhile, smaller in-office team building activities can help make sure your employees are taking their breaks during the workday. Food is a reliable motivator. A company-sponsored lunch will make your employees feel appreciated and energized. You can also kick it up a notch and spark some friendly competition with an inter-department cookoff potluck.
Choose a DJ for the Day
Turn up some work-friendly tunes to energize your employees with a DJ for the day. You can either invest in a radio and let an employee control the station choices every few hours or invest in a portable speaker and have an employee connect it to their playlist.
Alternatively, you can also create a collaborative Spotify playlist where everyone in the entire company can share their music choices.
Offer Flexible Work Hours
Flexible work schedules are perhaps the most coveted and most effective way to boost employee morale in winter. Allowing your employees to leave before it gets dark and the roadways become harder to navigate will minimize the risks of accidents. Offering work-from-home opportunities and letting your employees stay in rather than brave the harsh winter weather can reduce the number of sick days they take and improve their productivity.
These employee incentives and morale-boosting activities are incredibly helpful during winter but can be implemented year-round. Remember, your employees make or break your business — keeping them happy and healthy raises their productivity and the company’s overall performance.
