There may be a few more frowns across the meeting rooms and shared offices of the UK next week, as people head into work on Blue Monday.
This is the day of the year which is considered by statisticians to be the most depressing, as the thrill of Christmas has gone and just the financial consequences remain.
Many office workers have lost the renewed enthusiasm which comes after time off and there isn’t the enjoyment of catching up with colleagues of the first few days back by this stage.
As staff wait for the end of the month and a regular pay check they feel slightly sluggish from the indulgences of the festive period, but most have already broken their New Year’s resolutions.
The weather is dull and the evenings are still dark from an earlier time, with the prospect of the next holiday quite far off.
So in the face of all this doom and gloom, office managers and bosses should prepare themselves for Monday 16th January and try to bring a little positivity into the office environment.
Stimulating office workers through artwork, creative planting and allowing employees to personalise their space has been found to promote productivity.
This is according to research carried out by the University of Exeter on behalf of Ambius, who believe that Blue Monday is a good time to put these changes in place, just as staff are most in need of an added boost.
Kenneth Freeman, international technical director of Ambius, said: “Creating an engaging workspace is key to business success. Even if it’s as simple as introducing plants, from our research, people report being happier at work, more engaged with their employer, and are visibly more effective in doing their jobs. Let’s hope Blue Monday provides the impetus for businesses to go green in 2012.”
It comes after scientists warned that many office workers turn to alcohol in order to deal with the added pressures they have in their jobs.
