Another year has come to pass. A new year brings excitement, the prospect of hard work, innovation, and new organizational objectives. As employees settle back into their work routines, many are setting intentions to grow both personally and professionally. However, the chaos that can come at the start of each new year may cause those resolutions to fall by the wayside.
In fact, 88% of people fail at maintaining their resolutions each new year, according to researcher Richard Wiseman. Falling short of goals, whether they be personal or professional, can very easily cause a dip in morale. Fortunately, there are ways employers can help their workforce realize their professional goals for 2023.
Simplify Tasks
Oftentimes when employees are overwhelmed with complicated tasks, they struggle to maintain productivity. To help your employees work efficiently, try to simplify complicated tasks where possible. One way to do this is to encourage employees to book “focus” time on their calendars where they have the opportunity to complete tasks uninterrupted. In addition, if trainings seem too complex, provide your team with materials and videos they can reference anytime. And finally, try examining and adjusting your processes; if employees respond positively to these adjustments, then productivity will improve as well. Efforts like these help to establish a sense of trust among you and your employees, which in turn helps your employees gain the confidence needed to realize their full potential.
Support Professional Development
At the start of a new year, employees may make New Year’s resolutions to grow professionally. If employees feel their professional goals are being accounted for, they will be more likely to find success at their current place of work.
To help your employees achieve their professional resolutions, listen to their objectives and identify the skills they need to achieve those goals. By taking an employee’s professional goals into consideration, you can then assist in aligning those goals with your organization’s objectives to help ensure a positive impact on the company as well as the employee. You can also research educational resources, such as webinars or mentorships, to assist in helping your employees reach their full potential. By practicing this, employers can meet organizational goals and create a supportive work environment.
Encourage Health and Wellness
Everyone can benefit from living a healthy lifestyle. Feeling healthy and energized improves focus in the short term and helps to complete goals in the long term. By encouraging employees to improve their health in small ways, you can make an impact in how they may feel about themselves and their long-term goals. Here are a few ways you can make wellness approachable and achievable for your team members:
- Give them a minute: To help employees focus, encourage relaxation or moments to step away from the grind of the workday. By taking a minute or two to clear the mind, daily tasks can come much easier.
- Incentivize movement: Encourage stretching and physical activity throughout the workday. Brief moments like these can improve both focus and comfort in the workplace. Consider organizing time for employees to take a walk together. This can promote teamwork and unity, while providing peer encouragement towards maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Look into incentivizing activities, such as rewarding employees with lunch of their choice if a certain number of steps are reached by the end of the month.
- Encourage healthy eating: When nourished throughout the day, focus, and energy distribution are balanced. By encouraging employees to eat a wholesome breakfast, lunch, and healthy snacks, and to drink water throughout the day, you can help them feel energized and ready to work. To help employees achieve this, provide simple recipes that include whole fruits and vegetables, healthy protein options, and easy food storing/travel techniques.
Implement Daily Mindfulness Practice
Mindfulness, the practice of slowing down and being present, may help to promote focus and ultimately strengthen your team’s work ethic. To help your employees stay mindful and focused, book daily or weekly meditation breaks. Depending on your company’s flexibility, these breaks could range from 1 to 5+ minutes practicing meditation in a group or individual setting. With consistent mindfulness practices, you will see positive developments within your team.
Goal setting and achievement can lift your employees up and promote a more driven workforce. Lead by example and enjoy the benefits of realizing professional goals as a team. Using the suggestions in this article, we hope that both you and your employees can stay on track with your professional goals in the new year.
Sources:
• https://workology.com/6-ways-employers-can-support-your-new-year-resolutions-personal-goals/
• https://buffer.com/resources/the-science-of-new-years-resolutions-why-88-fail-and-how-to-make-them-work/
• https://www.ceridian.com/blog/ways-to-promote-workplace-wellness
• elearningindustry.com/business-new-years-resolutions-for-happier-employees
• wellsteps.com/blog/2020/02/11/mindfulness-in-the-workplace