Media headlines for January often refer to the “post-holiday blues”. While this might seem a bit extreme, for many people returning to work after an extended holiday is a bit of a shock. Most of us want to prolong the summer holiday for as long as we can and the reality of routines and productivity can seem unpleasant. However, this year I have been struck by just how many people have mentioned that they still feel fatigued and overwhelmed by work, despite having taken a holiday over the Christmas/New Year period.
One very experienced, senior HR director commented that neither she nor her high performing team had recovered from 2013, and she wasn’t sure how they were going to tackle a challenging 2014. She described considerable fatigue and that their energy tanks were not yet refilled.
These comments and experiences align with our thoughts about likely trends for organisations and employees in 2014 and beyond.