As the festive cheer fades and the cold, dark days of January set in, workplaces across the UK often grapple with a noticeable dip in employee morale, potentially affecting engagement and productivity.
Seasonal issues like financial strain, mental fatigue and post-holiday stress converge, making January a challenging time for employers to sustain the health and wellbeing of their people.
However, there are actionable steps organisations can take to refresh mental health strategies, improve employee engagement, and ultimately foster a happier and more productive workforce.
Why January is pivotal for wellbeing
“January is a time when employees can be particularly vulnerable to challenges relating to their mental health,” explains Alan Price, CEO of BrightHR. He recommends “leading from the front” to use the opportunity to make a lasting impact on workplace culture.
“As leaders, it’s our responsibility to set the tone,” Price says. “When we prioritise openness about mental health and take visible action – whether by investing in initiatives or equipping managers with the tools to offer meaningful support – we show our teams that their wellbeing matters.”
Rachel Suff, senior wellbeing adviser at the CIPD, agrees that action is essential at this time, with senior people role-modelling healthy working habits and championing wellbeing throughout the organisation.
Suff also emphasises the risks of ignoring mental health issues among the workforce. “If stress levels become prolonged or chronic, there can be serious impacts on people’s health, morale, performance and productivity,” she explains. “Therefore, it’s in every employer’s interest to have a framework to support mental health.”
However, the current squeeze on organisations’ budgets adds to the challenge of addressing the issue, according to Matt Russell, CEO at Zest. “Over four in ten employees are not expecting a pay rise this year, which risks impacting morale and productivity,” he observes. “Without increased financial incentives, employers need to look for alternative ways to motivate their employees.”
Common mental health challenges
Environmental factors play a big part in January’s wellbeing challenges. Sarah Smith, HR consultant at Hoomph, notes that many people in the UK suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) – around two million, according to the NHS.
“The combination of shorter days and reduced sunlight significantly impacts mood, adding complexity to the mental health landscape,” she says.
Experts agree that mental health concerns in January often revolve around recurring themes. “Looking back at January 2024, 31 percent of all Help@hand mental health appointments were for anxiety, while 30 percent were for depression or low mood, and 17 percent were for stress, making these issues the most common mental health challenges within the workplace at this time of year,” notes Jane Hulme, HR director at Unum UK.
Fatigue is one of the key issues witnessed by Keniro Miller, chief people officer at personal training organisation Ultimate Performance. “The season is a whirlwind of activity and then comes the abrupt shift after New Year’s Eve. Suddenly, the year is over, and we’re left feeling sluggish from all the indulgence.”
This, combined with the anxiety of catching up on emails and clearing out an overflowing inbox, can create a sense of mental exhaustion, says Miller.
The pressure of setting ambitious new year’s resolutions can also add to the burden. Hannah Pearsall, head of wellbeing at Hays, explains: “The narrative of ‘new year, new me’ can be anxiety-inducing. Readjusting to work after a break for the holidays is often overwhelming, paired with the stress of new projects, expectations and an increased workload that are synonymous with January.”
Refreshing wellbeing strategies
So it would seem that the start of a new year is an excellent opportunity to refresh and revitalise wellbeing programmes. Emma Capper, UK wellbeing leader at Howden Employee Benefits, advocates a data-driven approach to inform improvements on existing initiatives.
“Analyse utilisation statistics from benefit providers, engagement data from webinars, educational sessions and wellbeing content and employee feedback via surveys, focus groups and resource groups,” she advises.
Capper also recommends looking at absence data and productivity metrics to assess correlations between interventions and outcomes, emphasising the importance of establishing baseline measurements at the start of any new initiative.
Suff points out that stress audits or surveys can help uncover systemic issues such as unmanageable workloads – a common source of stress in many organisations. “It’s important that employers act on the results,” she insists.
Those actions can be carefully tailored according to the data gathered. “Key insights will allow you to build the foundations for actionable and meaningful steps like offering holistic support, investing in digital wellbeing tools and employee assistance programmes, and training managers to provide proactive mental health support,” suggests Price.
Practical steps for HR teams
HR leaders across industries have implemented a wide range of initiatives to tackle January’s challenges. These practical steps can serve as inspiration:
- Fitness and nutrition: “We’ve designed our January engagement month around themes of cleanse and vitality, giving us a fresh start for 2025,” says Miller. “To help employees prioritise their health, we offer fitness challenges, free group training sessions, and suggest health plans to kickstart the year.”
- Digital tools: “At Hays, we introduced our workforce to an app called Sonder, a digital care platform which is a one-stop-shop for physical and mental health needs, plus safety support for staff and their immediate family,” says Pearsall.
- Creating safe spaces: Pearsall also highlights the importance of employee networks: “We ensure there are opportunities for colleagues to talk to us, creating safe spaces via our employee networks, such as REACH (Recognising and Enabling all Colleagues & Conditions at Hays), Menopause Drop-In, and our Black Network.”
- Leadership training: “We provide training to all managers across the business on how to manage and support employees throughout their career journey,” says Jeanette Wheeler, chief HR officer at MHR.
- Prevention-focused education: “Offering resilience training and education on how to achieve a better work-life balance to avoid stress and burnout is a good start,” advises Capper. This, combined with health screenings, can help employees understand their risks.
- Sound sleep and social connection: Zurich UK has implemented sleep hygiene webinars from The Sleep Geek to help colleagues who are struggling with insomnia or other sleep-related issues. “Additionally, we’re hosting ‘Brew Monday’ this month, an initiative by the Samaritans which is dedicated to promoting social connections and mental wellbeing,” says Steve Collinson, chief HR officer.
- Tailored benefits: Hulme highlights the importance of understanding what employees value most. For instance, Unum has seen success in promoting flexible working arrangements and counselling services.
Measuring the impact of initiatives
To ensure January initiatives are effective, it’s important for organisations to track outcomes. There are various methods for this.
“We use a mix of measures including wellbeing surveys, employee net promoter score and pulse surveys,” says Wheeler. “We also work closely with managers and are always visible within the business to ensure employees know where to come if they need support.”
While the most effective ways of measuring the impact of wellbeing initiatives will be unique for each company, one of the simplest indicators is a reduction in sick days, according to Luke Bullen, VP of UK and Ireland at Wellhub.
“A noticeable drop can often signal that employees are feeling less burnt out and more fulfilled in their roles,” he says. “Ultimately, they want to show up and contribute.”
Turnover rates during the early months of the year can also signal effectiveness, Bullen adds; if there is a reduction in people leaving the company following a change in initiative or overall culture, this can be a reliable indicator that the strategy is working.
Hulme points out that employees who are happy and healthy will inevitably be more productive. If employees are regularly engaging with value-added mental health support services during January, this would suggest that they are having positive outcomes on mental health and overall wellbeing.
“Impact can also be measured by looking at performance ratings and the results from pulse surveys, or by setting up employee listening groups, all of which will provide valuable insight,” she adds.
Remaining vigilant
Along with formal measures, it’s important for leaders to remain mindful of the problems employees might face at this time of year and look out for red flags.
“Recognising signs of declining mental health becomes vital, with indicators including performance dips, poor concentration and social withdrawal,” Smith advises. She warns that these signs are particularly challenging to discern in remote work setups – emphasising the importance of observant interactions and active listening.
“By nurturing a culture of open communication, understanding, and proactive measures, organisations can navigate the winter season with a focus on mental health and resilience,” Smith adds.
So, by starting the year with a proactive and refreshed approach, organisations can set a positive tone for 2025 and ensure their workforce thrives long beyond the January blues.
