Employee performance will be a key focus for employers in 2024. With that in mind, it makes sense to plan this side of Christmas, how you will re-engage and motivate staff for a fast start in January. It’s surprising how few employers do plan to transition staff back to work, despite the drag January blues has on employee motivation. Get ahead of the competition today with five ways to start the year as you mean to go on.

1. Apply the first rule of motivation by helping employees to work out what’s in it for them to deliver their best performance yet. Encourage line managers to diarise a one-to-one meeting with each team member to discuss their personal and professional development goals and ensure they align with the needs of the business. Armed with this information managers can set up a development plan for the year, projects to learn on the job, courses, conferences as well as coaching and mentoring opportunities to support personal development. This is a particularly effective method for re-igniting the spark in employees that have begun to show signs of quiet quitting.
   
   In the meeting, take the opportunity to discuss any support the business can provide to help staff manage home and care responsibilities more easily. Providing staff with the option to work flexibly is a fantastic way to engage them, build trust and boost productivity.
2. Next, take your plan to the next level and consider how you can set the tone for effective teamwork. Facilitate an informal workshop to help staff create goals and agree effective ways of working that will deliver team targets. Facilitate a discussion about any potential barriers to success and encourage the team to work together to find solutions. Similarly, encourage the team to generate ideas for what will keep them motivated and learning over the next quarter. That might include opportunities to collaborate with other teams or functions to develop a better understand of how their efforts contribute to organisation-wide goals, networking opportunities or cross-team social events.
   
   Enthusiasm is infectious, so be sure to run the meeting with a sense of energy. If you don’t already spend a portion of each meeting celebrating staff achievements, make this a new tradition.
3. If you don’t have a formal plan in place to recognise and reward employees make sure you start one.  If you do already, review it to check the values and behaviours you want to encourage, and align it with current business goals. There are many magic moments throughout the year to say thank you.  Use all of them to build a culture of appreciation and help staff feel connected to their wider work community.
   
   Consider whether it would suit your business needs to adopt a strategic, company-wide approach to recognition and reward, or whether a time-limited, tactical focus to support a specific project better suits your needs.  For most organisations, a combination of both will be most effective. Finally, make sure there is a comms plan in place to remind employees how to engage with your recognition programme throughout the year.
4. The cost-of-living crisis remains the biggest threat to employee performance in 2024. Pay rises aren’t always an option or the answer, but there are plenty of low-cost employee savings schemes available that help employees save on every day household costs such as food, bills and insurance. January can be a particularly tough month for most people’s wallets so consider using e-vouchers to help pay for employees’ lunch or coffee this month.
5. Related to this is the last way you can promote staff wellness. January is an easy time to engage staff in a health kick and establish habits to practice throughout the year. Don’t limit your focus to physical health, support staff to review their personal finances and budget for the year. Remember a preventative approach to wellness is more effective and less expensive than fixing issues once they become a problem. Promote setting boundaries around working hours and sending after-hours emails and be sure to normalise talking about mental health during team meetings.
   
   These days, wellness Wednesday may feel a bit tongue in cheek, but having a set time in the week to remind staff of the importance of focusing on their wellbeing and to gather them to share lunch builds a sense of community that supports good mental health.
   
   Follow this 5-point plan and you’ll return in the New Year with employees ready to make a fast start to the quarter.