NEWS
BRIEFING Keep up to date with the latest news surrounding the role of the EA
BeChallenged outlines 5 ways to motivate your team post-holidays
Saying goodbye to the holiday season is never fun and after the Christmas and New Year break , the return to work can feel like a drag . Workplace motivation needs to be high on your executive ’ s priority list to boost employee productivity and engagement coming into 2021 . Teambuilding experts BeChallenged offer up 5 useful tips to motivating your employees after the holiday season .
Firstly , make sure the environment workers are walking back into is a positive one . There ’ s nothing enticing about an overflowing inbox and meeting upon meeting . Set the tone for the rest of the year and keep it positive ! Secondly , make sure employees are re-aligned with the business vision and mission . Reunite them with the brand and motivate them to achieve the mission . This gives employees a sense of purpose in their return to work .
Next , create SMART ( specific , measurable , achievable , realistic , timeline ) goals to define exactly what the focus should be heading into the new year . Fourthly , avoid pointless meetings . Especially with Zoom part of the every day now , it ’ s easy to call a meeting to discuss the work that needs to be done , rather than actually doing . Before scheduling a meeting , consider whether the time would be better spent somewhere else .
And finally , actively seek feedback from employees . Listening to and valuing what your employees have to say is a huge motivator . Asking for feedback ( and acting on it ) is a key way to keep employees engaged and motivated throughout the new year . S
4 business podcast recommendations
If you ’ re doing a lot of commuting to and from the office or need some time to switch off after a day of remote working but still want to listen to something with substance , these 4 podcasts come highly recommended . How I Work hosted by Dr Amantha Imber ( regular Chief of Staff contributor ) is a podcast series of interviews with a range of leaders and experts . Dr Imber chats with her interviewees about their routines , strategies and rituals and leaves listeners with a bank of work hacks to implement .
Next up , listen to This Working Life . This podcast is hosted by CEO of management consultancy 010 APAC Lisa Leong . Lisa ’ s podcast aims to highlight the “ sunshine and humanity in the world of work ”. The podcast features a range of experts in a variety of fields like mathematics or classical music or HR . Lisa talks about how they work as well as showcasing their individual fields .
The Happiness Lab is hosted by Dr Laurie Santos , a cognitive scientist and professor of psychology at Yale . The podcast uses “ research-backed commentary that opens your eyes to the intersection between science and wellbeing ”. Dr Santos interviews leading academics to uncover insights about human behaviour and each episode provides the listener with helpful resources to better manage their personal wellbeing .
Lastly , give How ’ s work ? With Esther Perel a listen if you want to be taken on an emotional journey . Host
Esther Perel is a psychotherapist and relationship counsellor who conducts therapy sessions with co-workers , co-founders , and colleagues . Perel ’ s philosophy is that work relationships affect our life just as much as personal ones do , yet when it comes to toxic relationships in the office , people usually try to live with it instead of fixing it . Esther ’ s goal is to use the podcast to change this attitude . S
12 Chief of Staff | Issue 1 2021