The return to darker days can take a toll on employees’ mental health, with the NHS estimating that 1 in 15 employees in the UK experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) between September and April.

So, as we enter the fourth quarter of the year, what initiatives do you have in place to continue to keep employee morale up, ensure your teams are engaged and ensure your teams remain productive and engaged?

A little goes a long way

There are many successful strategies that businesses tend to implement to ensure employees are engaged, but the simplest place to start would be with small gestures, like checking in with individuals and showing care. This should be standard practice and can change the tone of your team and wider culture completely.

For those employees returning to work from an extended stint of holiday, it could be a good idea for managers to arrange a quick check in session. This gives them the chance to catch up on priorities and any urgent tasks that have landed on desks in their absence. Settling back into work can be overwhelming, so having this type of structure in place can help employees feel supported by their seniors and know that their wellbeing is taken into consideration.

Fostering a positive working environment

Keeping an environment where employees feel comfortable to express their needs and ask for support is crucial when it comes to supporting the wellbeing of the team. In fact, happy employees have been proven to be 20% more productive in the workplace, compared to those that feel unhappy. Clearly, investing in the happiness of the team is mutually beneficial.

One way to do this is by getting regular feedback from the team on what benefits they would like to see from their workplace. For example, a large percentage of the team could benefit from flexible working arrangements to fit in and around commitments outside of work. Commuting to the office every day may be a struggle for some employees in, what is increasingly becoming a hybrid working world. By implementing a structure that works for everyone and understanding that there is no one size fits all approach, business leaders can help employees feel more comfortable and create a strong sense of belonging. 

In a similar fashion, encouraging team building and allowing employees the chance to socialise amongst themselves can also improve productivity levels. By feeling connected, teams are more likely to collaborate more efficiently and regularly support each other. In turn, this will create an open, people first culture in which team members feel strengthened by their peers.

Team building experiences can look different to all businesses, but some good examples of bonding opportunities could be seasonal parties, regular team socials, volunteering days or external experience days, to give employees the opportunity to get to know their colleagues in a more casual environment, away from the office.

The power of reward and recognition

Reward and recognition can go a long way in boosting team morale and engagement. Summer months are often filled with rewards and team treats, and this should continue throughout the year when employees may be feeling the strain.

Reward and recognition of course includes those small but meaningful gestures, like ordering breakfast on certain days, taking the team for lunch or a shoutout in the team meeting. However, business leaders can take recognition to the next level, by providing the team with awards for long-service, gifts for birthdays and outstanding work. A recent survey found that employees believe they should be recognised for certain milestones, including births or adoptions of children, anniversaries and other significant life events.

The list of fantastic employee gifts is endless, but we find that, amongst our clients, multi-choice gift vouchers are the most popular option as they allow employees to choose how and where to spend their reward. They also don’t have to break the bank, they could be enough to cover a coffee and a sweet treat, or they could allow employees to treat themselves to a spay day. Whatever the value, they’re a great way to celebrate employees and their achievements.

Ultimately, happy employees feel more loyalty towards their organisation and therefore work more productively. It’s in the best interest of the business to take care of the people within, especially with the knowledge that toward the end of summer, employees could be feeling more pressure and require a pick me up every now and then. Whatever form this comes in, recognition can help employees feel supported as we move into the autumn season, and ensure their wellbeing is looked after.

Consistency is key, so ensuring employees feel valued year-round will go a long way in retaining employees and ensuring that productivity is at a steady level throughout. This will help business leaders gain their employees’ loyalty, and result in a more motivated and engaged team.