For many people mid January is the return back to work after the Christmas break. 

Following a long prior year of COVID related constraints and on again/off again working from home… returning back to the workplace for a lot of people is turning out to be more difficult than usual after a break away. 

Adding to that is a lot of people (including myself) have been living in their ‘activewear’ and sneakers. 

So, what is the new workplace looking like and how can you get motivated to get back into routine? 

The new workplace

1. Lapse in dress code is something that we are certainly noticing first and foremost so you need to get on top of this. Some businesses won’t mind and some will but it should be something you cover in terms of communication and adapt for the standards you would like in your business. For example if you didn’t have a casual Friday’s before you may choose to include it. 
2. Work from home rules. Now team members have had a taste for it, they know it is possible. So what is your position going to be in relation to this? Will you allow it for everyone, or team members who have been there for more than 6 months or team members who have consistently achieved their targets? Whether you do or you don’t allow it, make sure you have a position ready on this and why – especially for new recruits. 
3. Hours – normal work hours ie 9.00am-5.00pm Monday to Friday are also being challenged with either early starts and earlier finishes or later starts and later finishes definitely creeping in. Part time roles and 4 day weeks are also becoming popular requests so if you haven’t reviewed your hours, it might be time to do so.

How to get back into your work mojo? 

1. Get the right people around you who are driven and uplifting. Don’t get stuck in a negative cycle with people who drain your energy, happiness or keep you feeling exhausted and lethargic. 
2. Remind yourself about what is important to deliver for your role and why you do what you do. 
3. Setting a 90 day plan is the best way to get you focused. Honestly this helps. Coming back and prioritising things to focus on will help you prioritise things but also identify mini milestones to celebrate. In the next 90 days what do you want to achieve and then how do you break that down week to week. 
4. Learn and develop yourself. The best way to get excited about something is to get passionate about something. Listen to a podcast, audible, read an article or anything that challenges your thinking and/or gives you an idea. 
5. Train your brain. What you focus on expands so if you find your brain switching off or thinking negative, recognise it and push it out. Negative thoughts can definitely alter your mojo and take up your time.  

So back to work we all go and I hope your year ahead is super successful! 

Do you want to get clear on your foundations and much more?  Conduct our CultureIQ to see how you stack up https://90dca.com.au/cultureiqscore or book a strategy call straight in with us to see if we can help here. Simply send me an email with the subject line: “Help me with HR!” and we will help you work out what you need.