As the festive season comes to an end and the daylight hours have become shorter, around 10% of your workforce may suffer the familiar effects of the ‘winter blues’. Triggered by a lack of natural sunlight, many employees face a winter-time depression, or to use its medical term ‘Seasonal Affective Disorder’ – SAD.

While many employers may shrug off this productivity slump as the employee’s lack of get-up-and-go, the disorder is actually driven by an imbalance of serotonin (linked to depression) and melatonin (which drives the body’s internal clock). This means that even the most motivated and productive member of staff may struggle to get themselves to work hard throughout the winter.

Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder	How it may impact your business
Feelings of depression, guilt and hopelessness Irritability and avoiding interaction with people Poor concentration Inability to tolerate stress Fatigue / Lack of sleep Weight gain	Increased number of sick days Low morale affecting the wider team Poor customer service due to irritability and fatigue Decrease in productivity Unwillingness to ‘go the extra mile’ Intense reactivity to stress

It may also be worth noting that if SAD is severe enough, it can qualify as a disability, and in such cases there is a duty to make reasonable adjustments so the disabled employee does not face a disadvantage because of their disability. For the legal aspects of SAD as a disability, please refer to this article.

• Review your working environment. Is there a lack of natural light in the office? If so, consider repositioning desks closer to windows, or if you have a naturally dark office, try investing in a simple and cheap full spectrum light bulb, which simulates natural sunlight by more than 96%.

• Schedule a team breakfast on Monday mornings to encourage staff to arrive on time to work.

• Exercise helps to regulate the body clock, which will help to regulate sleep and banish winter fatigue. Offering vouchers for boot camp may inspire your employees to be more active.

• Raise morale with wintry-themed competitions with appropriate prizes, e.g a ‘Most Inspiring Winter Scene’ photograph competition to win a winter driving course or a skiing lesson on the dry slopes.

• Caffeine can wreak havoc on the body’s energy levels. Consider making caffeine-free herbal teas available alongside your coffee machine.

• Get employees involved in charitable activities. Try hosting a ‘Hot Breakfast for Charity’ day once a week, whereby employees pay for a hot breakfast to be cooked to order, with the proceeds going to charity. The feeling of giving back will lift the wintry mood, and employees will have something to look forward to when they arrive early to work.

If you would like advice or further guidance on encouraging employee well-being to improve the working environment we would be happy to assist you.

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