It is tough – just plain tough…
Engaging an employee after a long holiday weekend is tough. Employees are depressed, sluggish, and of course – UNPRODUCTIVE!
You will hear complaints, employees gathering around chatting about holiday plans, and not able to get back into the swing of things in their offices. They dread the first email, the first meeting, and sometimes you will see employees not taking action the first part of the day before lunch and sometimes…not at all that first day back to work. YIKES!
How do organizations get employees back into work mode?
ACTION PLAN:
1) Sometimes we have a hard time choosing a “food day” or celebration day. Instead of doing it the day before the holiday, do it the day after. Celebrate them coming back to work and kick starting GREAT performance and metrics.
2) Create healthy competition by showing leader boards and metrics clearly in the area.
3) Start the day off with an all-staff meeting. Let them share successes from the week, share company information and successes, then give a little push to start the week off with a bang!
4) Make sure the office is in “READY” order for the employees. Have a checklist and assign tasks to get them moving – like checking the copier, turning it on, checking the break-rooms are ready and all is plugged in, plenty of coffee brewing, make sure all computers and other tools are working, charged up, and ready to rock n’roll.
5) Hold a mid-day meeting or activity. Keep the blood in our bodies moving by doing an after-lunch meeting, update, stretch routine, or meeting.
6) Plan an “after holiday event” like a charity drive or something that will get them moving after the holiday and feel involved. These kinds of things don’t just have to happen before the holiday.
7) Make sure leaders show up and lead by example during and after the holidays. Make sure that they are encouraged and encouraging to the staff.
For any other ideas on employee engagement, let me know.
~Angelique
