Tips to Help Your Staff Beat the Winter Blues

Guest blog from Moneypenny

January is always difficult for companies and their staff, when energy levels naturally dip, and the ongoing pandemic restrictions mean it’s more important than ever to help staff combat the winter blues.  Leading outsourced communications company, Moneypenny, is consistently recognised as a ‘Best Company to Work For’ by the Sunday Times as it works hard to help its 1,000 staff feel happy and energised all year round, It has put together the following tips on how companies can help staff handle the winter blues:

1. Small acts of kindnessThese have a big impact on employee well-being, so this winter why not send out chocolate brownies or small gifts with a handwritten note to all employees?   Moneypenny’s in-house video team put together personalised videos with birthday messages for staff and the senior management team often hand deliver flowers to employees doors, showing that the company really cares.
2. Positive Vibes Sometimes it’s the small things that help most.  Take a leaf out of Moneypenny’s book and set up a Page of Positivity on Workplace or Teams where staff can post uplifting or encouraging messages, such as ‘Always be kind’, or ‘Happy New Tier’.
3. Use the power of the voice. Your staff need to hear you and know that you are hearing them, especially when working remotely, so make sure you have two-way communication channels between managers and staff and use video and one-to-one calls to keep speaking to staff.  Moneypenny’s famous PAs know that we can pick up so much more from tone of voice, so you can spot if anyone is struggling with any issues.
4. Make it Physical.It’s well known that exercise can improve mental well-being, and while gyms may be shut, companies can still organise online exercise or yoga classes to get their staff moving.
5. Looking after the MindThe new year is the perfect time for companies to introduce initiatives to help staff maintain mental wellbeing.  Consider introducing a calm meditation app to help with mindfulness, or a wellbeing group on Workplace or Teams.  Moneypenny has also set up a help line for staff to call if they need any advice on any issues, such as family, stress, money, or even domestic abuse.
6. Use tech to bring staff together.If you are using Workplace from Facebook, or Teams, in addition to managing critical company updates or workflows, these tools can act as the office kitchen for employees to socialise.  Moneypenny found that Workplace usage tripled through the move to remote working, as the need to stay connected has increased.
7. Organise some fun!Why should company jollies be restricted to Christmas?  Schedule in some non-work related social activities to keep staff going through the cold, dark winter months, such as cooking challenges and quiz nights.

About Moneypenny
Moneypenny has more than 1,000 staff and handles more than 20 million customer communications a year, for 21,000 companies, ranging from multi-nationals to start-ups. It has grown rapidly in the last four years, from £19 million revenue p/a to a projected £50 million this year.  It is known for its award winning culture,its excellent customer service and low staff turnover.  Find out more on their website www.moneypenny.co.uk