Employee Incentives News: How to motivate employees after the Summer break

Do you find your employees are a bit unmotivated after their annual break? Or that they even hand their notice in after a few weeks in the sun? What’s happening isn’t a few too many tequila sunrises at sunset – but instead, the extra time to consider their desire and motivation.

Kronos, the leading workforce management solution has run a study that reveals more than three quarters (78%) of full-time workers in the UK reconsider their job prospects at least once a year. However, because summer holidays is the most likely time that employees will consider jumping ship and looking for a new job, employers can do something about it.

For British workers it seems that distance does not make the heart grow fonder, with more than a quarter (28%) reconsidering their jobs whilst on holiday, 22% are most likely to do this after work while at home and 17% during the weekends. Maybe it is because employees have more time to think as they unwind on annual leave that being unhappy with their job, or the desire to develop their career, gives them the extra motivation they need to make a change on their return.

Post-holiday dips in morale

Post-holiday dips in morale are a real issue for businesses and can lead to low productivity, or even resignations, if not addressed. On top of the summertime blues experienced by employees returning from their holidays, managers also need to be aware of the employees that have been left to pick up the slack whilst their colleagues have been on leave.

One of the biggest causes of employee dissatisfaction and discontent the inability to truly engage with their work – 60% of Brits would like their job to be more engaging. This is only made worse by the fact that two thirds (66%) of British employees feel under appreciated by management.

Tips to engage and motivate employees

There are ways that managers and business leaders can increase employee engagement before, during and, perhaps more importantly, after summer, to aid retention and keep employees smiling, feeling valued and productive long after holiday tans have faded.

Tip 1: Fair and equitable treatment of all employees when scheduling holiday, failing to do so can lead to a rise in absenteeism. The knock on effect of this is an increase in individual employee workload, which could result in stress and disengagement. Make a point of supporting, listening to, and formally acknowledge the people that have held the fort while others have been on summer breaks

Tip 2: Although rare, the British summer OCCASIONALLY brings much needed sunshine. No one likes to be stuck inside working when this happens, even if it is sometimes unavoidable. Making conscious efforts to allow staff to enjoy their breaks outside can do wonders for keeping staff engaged.

Tip 3: Bring the summer holiday to the staff! Post-holiday blues and covering for your colleagues who are sunning it up in the south of spain can be a depressing time for the remaining workforce. Organising morale boosting activities and building a fun company culture is key for ensuring these employees feel appreciated for their efforts.

Tip 4: Cruise through summer and post-holiday period while improving productivity by aligning staff coverage to fluctuating business demand. Make use of temporary staff where necessary and be smart about scheduling staff on consecutive shifts in order to keep employees fresh and engaged.

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