Keeping your team engaged during the festive season

In the build up to the festive season, people often start to feel excited and become wrapped up in the happy atmosphere. However, sometimes too much excitement can create a lack of focus and motivation in employees, which results in them becoming distracted in their work as they start to wind down for the holidays.

The run up to the Christmas period is often one of the busiest times for businesses as there are deadlines to be met and loose ends to be tied up. Of course, this kind of pressure can affect the health and wellbeing of employers and management so it’s important to keep employees engaged and operations running as smoothly as possible without being a killjoy and dampening staff morale. A report by Gallup found that companies with highly engaged employees resulted in 21% greater profitability.

Fortunately, there are ways you can protect your own and employees’ wellbeing while keeping them engaged at the same time.

Tips for maintaining engagement

• Embrace the season and decorate the workplace. A brightly decorated workspace can lift people’s moods and by encouraging staff to help with the decorations during their lunch break, they can get into the spirit of Christmas without it eating into their working hours. This kind of activity is also a good team building exercise and great for (socially distanced) engagement. You could reward them with festive treats (although not too much or you might find them becoming a little bit giddy!) 
• Play festive music in the week before the holidays, but perhaps not so loudly as to distract them from their work!
• Arrange a Secret Santa with the promise of exchanging gifts at the end of a working day to motivate employees to complete their work first.
• Organise a staff party on the last day before the holidays with awards and prizes for the most motivated employees. This is sure to make them eager to meet their deadlines prior to the award ceremony and will keep them engaged as well as making them feel appreciated at the same time. Make sure you also celebrate their achievements from the past year. In a survey by Glassdoor, 53% of those who took part said that appreciation from their boss would make them more likely to stay working at the company.
• Send personlised Christmas cards thanking your employees for their efforts throughout the year. This small gesture can have a huge impact on someone’s wellbeing, particularly if they suffer from a lack of self-confidence or experience feelings of loneliness at this time of year.
• Make the last day in the workplace a more relaxed working day - perhaps watch a film, host a quiz or a organise a few party games during extended break times. 

You’ll be amazed at how motivated and engaged your employees become if there’s a promise of an early finish or other rewards involved!

Remember that the festive season isn’t always a happy time for everyone, especially given the current Covid situation. By lightening the mood at work and offering thoughtful and personal rewards, you could have a positive impact on an individual’s mental wellbeing. If many of your employees will be working from home in December, be sure to adapt the above ideas by creating virtual online events instead.

Tips for dealing with mental health issues in the workplace

In 2018, Mind conducted a major study into mental health in the workplace. The findings were that 48% of everyone who took part in the survey had experienced some form of mental health issue in their present job role. More than ever, owing to the current pandemic, it is vital that employers put procedures in place to help tackle this widespread problem.

As an employer, you may become aware that one or more of your employees appears to be struggling with their mental health. This can throw you into a confusing situation as you carefully tread the line between providing support and infringing on an employee’s personal business. So, how can you provide support without unwittingly infringing on employee rights to privacy and autonomy?

Mental health procedures in the workplace

Having an existing framework in place before situations arise will put you and other staff in a good position to know how to assist employees. This framework should include:

Learning to recognise the signs

Although it can be difficult to recognise when an employee is suffering from mental health issues, there are signs that you can look out for which might bring about changes in behaviour. Perhaps they are taking longer to complete their work and missing deadlines, taking more sick days than usual, or are unable to communicate as they normally would with colleagues. A mental health awareness course can help both management and employees understand and manage mental health at work.

Planning

This should consist of an overall plan of steps to take should any employee experience mental health difficulties, and an individual plan for employees who have made management aware of what particular procedures help them in certain situations. Individuals that have made management aware of their pre-existing mental health conditions may want to provide a plan of things that can help their wellbeing. This may include access to a quiet room, minimal noise in the office, and staff awareness of triggers for this person.

Providing support without taking away an employee’s right to self-manage 

All staff should be made aware that they can reach out should they be experiencing any mental health difficulties. This could be to a line manager or a specifically trained mental health first aider in the workplace. If an employee approaches you, ask if they have any suggestions about how you can help them and suggest putting a plan in place to assist them day to day, and also should a crisis arise. Being in control of your own mental health wellbeing can be empowering and this should be encouraged.

Assessing levels of harm

Wherever possible, management should enable staff to have as much autonomy over their mental health needs as possible. Removing someone’s control over their own situation can be extremely distressing. However, if external factors have led to a person’s safety being at risk, you need to know when to intervene. If at any point a person is threatening to harm themselves or another person you will need to take prompt action.

Protecting those who help

Organisations can access specific training for staff who want to be mental health first aiders. Being a mental health first aider can be stressful and they can feel a huge sense of responsibility in this role. Managers need to ensure that these staff members are also given the support required. It is sensible to have more than one mental health first aider in the workplace so that if one is off work or not able to assist, another one can take their place. Make sure all staff know who these first aiders are so that there is no confusion about who should help in a crisis.


Make all employees aware of any resources both inside and outside work that they can make use of. Place these details on posters in communal areas of the workplace and also provide all staff with a copy via email or hardcopy. You can view a list of mental health charities who offer information or support here.

Visit First Psychology Assistance for details of our services for supporting employee mental health and wellbeing > 

Managing a multi-generational work environment

The workplace environment has changed drastically in the past few decades, meaning that team leaders are now having to learn how to successfully manage multi-generational employees. People who would’ve once be long retired are working alongside teenage apprentices and young adults fresh from college. Throw into the mix individuals who change their career path in their late 20s and 30s and you could have an extremely diverse work environment. Learning to manage a multi-generational work environment is not only essential to ensure happy employees but is necessary to achieve peak productivity.

What problems are associated with a multi-generational workplace?

If you are aware of the phrase “OK boomer” you will have some insight into how different generations may regard one another. The term 'boomer' relates to people born in the two decades after World War II. Boomers are thought to be out of touch with today’s generation. Besides boomers, there are other generations that have been given names, all of whom you may find in the same workplace:

Traditionalists – born between 1922 and 1945
Boomers or baby boomers – born between 1946 and 1964
Generation X – born between 1965 and 1980
Generation Y or millennials– born between 1981 and 1997
Gen Z – born between 1998 and present day

It is understandable to think that a multi-generational workplace will face problems, after all, each generation will have experienced different technologies and ways of doing things in a work environment. Problems can arise from prejudices of each generation born from presuming they are too traditional or non-PC, or conversely, too modern or liberal. Other difficulties can arise from one generation not being experienced in using certain technologies, and other generations ignoring tried and tested ways of approaching specific elements of work. For example, it may be presumed that older generations may not be fully aware of the benefits of social media, while younger generations may be perceived as being too reliant on modern technology. Clashes such as these require competent management to avoid confusion and frustration between colleagues.

How do I manage multiple generations successfully?

You will be relieved to know that there are ways to create a cohesive workforce made up of many generations.

Don’t make presumptions

It is all too easy to presume that younger candidates will be more capable when it comes to modern technologies and online media. However, it should never be presumed that other generations are not as up to date with technological advances. Bear in mind that the older generations have also lived through changing technologies. In the same way, don’t believe that Gen Zs couldn’t possibly live without their mobile devices or that they are easily distracted by social media updates. Treat each employee as an individual and listen to their unique experiences to ascertain how they will complement your workplace.

Encourage inter-generational mentoring

Like any workplace, employees may have very different experiences and qualifications. Use this to your advantage by encouraging employees to share their skills with one another. For example, one generation may not realise the importance of social communication etiquette, and another could be lacking the real-life interpersonal skills still required in today’s work environments. By delivering this in the form of mutually beneficial mentorships you are ensuring that employees don’t feel patronised.

Ascertain the goals and ambitions of each employee

There are many benefits to having a multi-generational workforce, especially when you know what each employee wants from their work. Younger generations without commitments may be more willing to travel and be keen to be given opportunities to do so. Those with family commitments may not want to be away for long periods of time and their skills could be better used elsewhere. However, it is essential that you don’t just presume, and as a manager you need to ascertain what each employee wants.

Be flexible

Being aware of the many potential differences between generations in the workplace allows you to get the most out of your employees. By being flexible with your approach to each employee and acknowledging their strengths, weaknesses and individual needs, you can provide management that will benefit not only them, but your entire workforce.

Inspirational ways to Prevent Employee Burnout

As an employer you will undoubtedly want your workforce to be a happy and productive one. Yet it is all too easy to forget that your employees have other things going on in their lives even if they are extremely dedicated to their job. Failing to address the issue of employee burnout can lead companies to lose some of their best employees. There are many ways to prevent things getting on top of your employees and to ensure they remain motivated and enthusiastic.

What is “burnout”?

According to The Mayo Clinic, job burnout is

“A state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.”

There are many symptoms of burnout, including:

• Lack of energy and motivation
• Irritability
• Difficulty concentrating
• Lethargy
• Being prone to physical illnesses
• Substance abuse

How do I prevent burnout in the workplace?

Boost morale

If an employee isn’t enjoying their work, or feels they aren’t appreciated, then chances are, their work is going to suffer. This is especially true when an employee is feeling over worked. It’s important to let your staff know when they are doing a good job. There are several ways to do this:

• Set targets to challenge staff so they can feel a sense of accomplishment
• Acknowledge achievements and goals at weekly team meetings
• Give rewards – this can be extra time off work or physical rewards such as vouchers or trips away
• Reward teams as well as individuals so that colleagues are encouraged to work together 
• Emphasise how important your staff are by rewarding them on a regular basis – provide Friday afternoon treats and host team trips away

Encourage conversations about wellness

Make it clear that employees can come to you to discuss their needs and concerns. You can provide these opportunities via weekly meetings with individuals in addition to teams. Don’t wait for burnout to happen but promote wellness as part of the workplace culture.

You can do this by:

• Emphasising that you are available to discuss each employee's individual requirements, including discussions about how the workplace can be adapted to assist with mental health needs, physical needs, and personal commitments.
• Offer flexibility – research conducted by the University of Manchester shows that both employees and their managers thought that flexibility increased a person’s efficiency, work effort, and focus. The study also found that flexibility led to a healthy life/work balance.
• Provide meditation, yoga or exercise classes that staff can take during their lunch break or before or after work– The NHS states that exercise has many health benefits, both mental and physical.
• Encourage employees to take five-minute screen breaks every hour to avoid potential eye strain.

Give clear directions and expectations

Some people suffer from job burnout because they aren’t sure of managerial expectations or what their role should be. As a manager, you need to let employees know what their role entails and the amount of autonomy expected within this role. Provide detailed job and role descriptions and always speak with staff if anything changes about their roles and expectations. Again, team and individual meetings can help ensure clear communication about such matters.

Consider implementing regular employee support 

Employees are a key asset of any organisation and it makes sense to help them stay healthy. Consider providing a wellness MOT to support employees maintain wellbeing and to promote good mental health. Research has demonstrated that a proactive approach to wellbeing and mental health pays dividends. It supports improved performance and identifies any problems or issues at the earliest possible stage.

Details of First Psychology Assistance's KeepWell Programme >

Read First Psychology's report on Work-Life Balance and technology >

Finding the courage to change your career

There are many reasons you may be contemplating changing your career. The catalyst for this change may not have even been your choice. If you’ve had the same career for many years, it can become part of your identity and the idea of changing this can be extremely daunting. If you dread the thought of going to work each morning, there is obviously a problem that needs to be solved. People can be adversely affected by the pressure of unrealistic workloads, or by an unpleasant work environment. However, there are ways you can embrace the new chapter in your life and find the courage to do so wholeheartedly.

Why change career?

According to the employment search site, Flexjobs, the five top reasons people choose to change career are:

• Pay – many people simply want more money and realise that a different career path can lead to this.
• Recognition - lack of recognition for being a good employee can make people feel unappreciated.
• Promotion – if there isn’t the possibility to advance in your current role, you could feel stuck in a rut with nothing to look forward to.
• Stress – Some professionals will feel the toll of a stressful occupation and may yearn for less responsibility. 
• Flexible hours – striking the right work/life balance can be tricky if you have rigid work hours. A flexible role would be more appealing to those wanting or needing less rigidity and more freedom.

The impact of the work environment on your mental health

Spending each day in a job you don’t enjoy, or even detest, can have a significant impact on your mental health. When you hate the thought of the working week beginning yet again you may experience sleepless nights, anxiety and even depression. An excessive workload or responsibilities can lead to exhaustion both physically and mentally. When you recognise that your current role is having a negative effect on your wellbeing, you may consider a change of career.

How a negative work environment can affect existing mental health difficulties

According to the Health and Safety Executive:

“Work-related stress can aggravate an existing mental health problem, making it more difficult to control. If work-related stress reaches a point where it has triggered an existing mental health problem, it becomes hard to separate one from the other.”

Problems such as anxiety, stress and depression can all be exacerbated by a heavy workload, work pressures, and difficult managers or colleagues. If your workplace isn’t open to transparent conversations about mental health and assistance at work, you may find it difficult to change the circumstances.

Is your current role damaging your self-esteem?

Stress and anxiety aren’t the only problems created by a negative work environment, and you may find your confidence depleting as you tackle a building workload, or unsupportive colleagues and line managers. As your self-esteem decreases so does your confidence that you will be able to switch careers.

Fight the fear of the unknown by taking positive steps

It can be very stressful to think about leaving a secure job to plunge into an entirely new career – but it can also be very exciting. There are numerous steps you can take that will encourage better mental health and give you the courage to change career:

• Speak to your support network outside work such as family and friends. Let them know what you are feeling and how a change of career will enrich your life. Having their support will help build the courage to take steps to find a new and better career
• Use visualisation exercises to see what your future could be like once you make the change
• Make a pros and cons list to determine the reality of your current situation versus what you envisage will happen when you change careers. Once you can see how much better life will be once you find a job you actually like, you will have more confidence to make the change.
• Take time away from the situation completely. If possible, book a few days away among nature and meditate on what really matters to you. Even short walks in woodland or forests can help centre your thoughts.

Positive actions such as those mentioned above can help to build confidence in yourself and the decisions you make.

The benefits of introducing nature into the worklpace

The benefits of being surrounded by nature has been lauded by scientists and medical professionals for many years. According to the charity Mind, immersing yourself in nature can help to combat stress, anxiety, and low confidence. Any workplace setting can cause employees to experience different levels of stress, and some more so than others. Discover how introducing elements of nature into the workplace can benefit individuals, groups, and the entire workforce.

Hello green fingers, goodbye blues

A study led by Dr Masahiro Toyoda, specialist in horticultural therapy at the University of Hyogo in Japan revealed that three minute 'nature breaks' could improve the mental health of employees. These breaks would consist of simply looking at a plant and tending to the plant in an office environment. This type of break was particularly beneficial to employees that felt tired during the working day. The study used the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Index (STAI) which measures levels of anxiety. It was found that employees that chose their own plant and cared for it at intervals during the day would see decreased levels of anxiety.

Natural elements in office design shown to improve quality of work

It isn’t just the introduction of real plants that can help employees to relax and perform better, and research featured in the Journal of Environmental Psychology suggests that images of nature also have an impact. In a study entitled '40-Second Green Roof Views Austain Attention: The Role of Micro-Breaks in Attention Restoration', the results of viewing two different types of image showed significant findings. Participants of the study were shown either city rooftop scenes of over-flowing plants and greenery, or images of bare city rooftops and were then asked to complete a task. The participants that viewed the green scenes made less mistakes and responded better to the demands of the task than those that were only exposed to the concrete roofs. It’s thought that by including nature scenes, either on television screens in offices, or in permanent décor such as 'living walls', employees experience an increased positive response to tasks.

The sounds of success

The sounds of nature, such as rainforests and rippling streams, have long been used to help people fall asleep, but what if these types of sounds not only help you feel relaxed, but can improve the quality of your work? Apparently, it isn’t only the sight of nature that can improve productivity and mood, but according to researchers, the sounds of nature have also been shown to result in a better work environment. According to Science Daily, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York believe that the sound of a mountain stream in offices can elevate mood and productivity. Installing water features in offices or playing the soothing sounds of lapping waves or flowing streams could be a wise move for employers wanting a calmer work environment.

What is your working environment like? Could you introduce any images or sounds of nature?

Tips for avoiding loneliness when you’re working from home

If you’re new to the concept of working from home, the idea can be initially exciting. Imagine, no colleagues to distract you and being able to turn up to your new workplace (home) in your PJs. Not to mention, only needing to do a tea/coffee run for yourself. However, although there are some obvious perks to working from home, there’s one rather drastic downside – feeling lonely. Owing to health and safety measures brought about by the current COVID-19 pandemic, many more employees are now working from home.

Working alone can inevitably lead to feelings of loneliness, but there are measures you can take to minimise these feelings. Here, we take a look at what can cause loneliness while working from home, and what steps you can take to alleviate these feelings.

The importance of social interaction

We often forget that the workplace can also provide social interaction, even if it’s just to gossip about what you’ve been up to over the weekend. Even those colleagues you don’t consider to be friends can provide a break from the monotony of the working day. The physical detachment associated with working from home can become a concern in the long term as you become isolated from physical and social contact. Although it may not be noticeable at first, this detachment can lead to poor mental health for those that aren’t used to being so alone on a daily basis.

An article written by Dr Vivek H Murthy that was published in the Harvard Business Review suggested that loneliness and social isolation have a significant impact on our health:

“Loneliness and weak social connections are associated with a reduction in lifespan similar to that caused by smoking 15 cigarettes a day and even greater than that associated with obesity.”

Although shocking, this information is important to acknowledge to help people understand the importance of taking action against loneliness. Research suggests there are three main areas of loneliness intervention:

• Identifying the individual experience – are they lonely or isolated?
• Self-awareness and self-involvement in organising activities to prevent loneliness
• The importance of group interventions alongside potentially further insight into individual activities.

How can we prevent loneliness when working from home?

Get organised

One of the most significant changes you can make to ensure you don’t find working from home lonely is to organise your time. This means assigning office hours to your homeworking and making plans to socialise once your working day is over.

Flexible workspaces

One of the simplest ways to feel less isolated now that lockdown restrictions are easing is to choose a social workspace. This could be a library, café, at the home of a colleague or a designated work-hub where you can hire a desk for the day. Just being in a peopled environment can help you feel more connected to the outside world and you will also have the opportunity to interact with others.

Set up a workplace chat room

When you work from home while others are working from the office, it can be easy to feel out of the loop. One way to stop this happening is by having a chat room that colleagues check into each morning. This is better than email as it is less formal and can be used for lunchtime video calls and to send fun messages to each other at less busy times of day. Suggest a chat room to your manager and explain how feeling connected to your colleagues can really help avoid loneliness when working from home. Make plans to meet up with colleagues at the end of the week to socialise and connect, at a distance, of course.

Break up the working day

Just as you would take breaks during the working day, do so while working at home. Arrange to meet a friend for lunch, or, if this isn’t possible, arrange a facetime session or even just a regular phone call. Be proactive with your break times and make sure you have the option to connect with someone, be it virtually or in person.

Get a pet

When you have a cat or a dog, there is limited opportunity to feel lonely. A pet can provide the physical connection you need and stroking a cat or a dog can actually help with other negative feelings such as stress and anxiety. If you don’t have a pet of your own, consider borrowing a friend’s and enjoy the company as you work from home. Having a dog is also a great excuse to get away from your desk and take a walk which can help you connect with others, especially if you arrange meet-ups with fellow dog walkers.


The NHS has some great advice about how to cope with loneliness and tips on how to get help if you become overwhelmed by it.