January can be a tough time for employees. From coming back to a new grind after a long holiday to continuing to muster energy and excitement during a dreary winter season, employees face tough challenges to stay on task at work during the first month of the year. While we aren’t claiming to be psychologists or experts in seasonal affective disorder in employees, we do have the benefit of having inspired and connected with many groups of people over the years, which leads us to believe that events can help keep team members happy and on task.
Do Events Make Teams Happy and More Productive?
Well-planned and executed events can inspire huge upticks in productivity and general increase overall employee happiness. How do we know? Well, we have seen the effects of music team building first hand at all of our events. Of course, the actual event and its takeaways will play a large part in determining how much happiness is created, but even getting employees out of the office and interacting in a different way can be a game changer. Just picture yourself and how you would feel getting up and away from your desk for a day to enjoy some fun activities with your colleagues, without deadlines and pressure hanging over your head.
Overcoming Seasonal Affective Disorder in Employees
Whether your employees are truly suffering from depression relating to seasonal affective disorder or they are simply experiencing the slumps that come from post holiday timing and increased work pressures, breaks in the mundane are a great way of helping them find renewed energy. Want to inspire your employees? Create mental and physical diversions that take their minds off “the grind” or the dark, cold days.
Elements To Include In Event Planning To Improve Happiness
Especially in cold, dreary winter months, certain event elements can go a long way in creating a great event day. Consider making sure you can tick off as many of the following as possible:
- A well-lit room or area to convene
- A playlist of upbeat music and popular songs
- Activities that get attendees on their feet and moving around
- Tasty, special snacks and beverages (i.e., skip the dry bagels and less-than-stellar coffee)
- Quick transitions through agenda items with a great facilitator