New survey from workplace consultants Peldon Rose reveals key changes to the workplace to beat the Blue Monday Blues, improve employee wellbeing and boost productivity

A new survey from leading workplace consultants, Peldon Rose, released ahead of Blue Monday, allegedly the most depressing day of the year, reveals a significant majority of workers say winter has a negative effect on their mental wellbeing, with half believing it adversely affects their mood and over a third stating that winter affects productivity. Based on these findings Peldon Rose has put together five key initiatives employers can use to beat the Blue Monday Blues and help to boost productivity.

The survey findings reveal that 50% of workers say that winter adversely affects their mood, 42% believe it has a negative effect on their mental wellbeing, and 34% state winter affects their productivity. Indeed, a further 35% actually identify themselves as suffering or having suffered from SAD - a mood disorder exhibited at the same time each year, most commonly in the winter, with more than half (55%) actually stating that they feel like ‘pulling a sickie' during the winter months.

Contributing to this depressed mood is the workplace and the fact that the majority of employees (56%), according to the survey, feel unappreciated or only sometimes appreciated by their company, 31% believe their office environment has a negative effect on their wellbeing and 54% specifically stating that a cold office negatively impacts their mood in the winter.

Survey Highlights:

• Seasonal Blues: Over two fifths (45%) believe winter has a negative effect on motivation, 42% of workers say that winter has a negative effect on their mental wellbeing and over a third (34%) state winter affects productivity.
• SAD & Sickies: Over a third (35%) suffer from or have suffered from SAD and 55% feel like taking a sickie during the winter months.
• Office Failures: Employees said that a cold office (54%) and fluorescent office lighting (39%) negatively impact their mood in the winter.
• Workspace Woes: Over half (56%) feel unappreciated or only sometimes appreciated by their company, while almost a third (31%) of employees believe the office environment has a negative impact on your happiness and wellbeing.
• Working on Wellbeing: A good heating system (96%), exposure to natural light (94%), breakout space (92%), quiet settings (87%) and an open culture which encourages honest dialogue about mental health benefits (87%) are considered most valuable to employee wellbeing.

There are plenty of ways that employers can help their employees counter winter blues and companies need to push change from the top down. Revising the office environment is an important first initiative for businesses aiming to start the year with a healthy, productive workforce and they survey respondents identified improving their office environment as key to tackling the winter blues.

Based on Peldon Rose's expertise as workplace consultants and feedback from the survey, the firm has put together five key steps for businesses to follow to help their employees beat the Blue Monday Blues.

Good heating

Some 96% of employees consider a good heating system as the most important factor in supporting their mental health and wellbeing at work. With shorter days (57%), cold weather (57%) and a cold office (54%) rated as the top three negative impacts on mood in the winter, employers need to ensure the office is at a temperature suitable for their employees.

Exposure to natural light

Nine out of ten employees (94%) say that exposure to natural light is important to their wellbeing. However, over a fifth of employees (22%) said they are not exposed to natural light in the office. Wherever possible, businesses should introduce natural light into the workplace, remove obstacles obstructing light and reconfigure furniture to gain optimum natural light.

Breakout spaces

Some 92% of employees believe that social spaces are valuable in the workplace, helping support healthy mental wellbeing. Workplaces that encourage bringing people together and building friendships will help improve employee wellbeing in the office.

Quiet settings

Although 87% of workers say that quiet areas support their wellbeing at work, 44% said that they do not have these areas to retreat to. To ensure everyone's needs are supported in the office, businesses should create a range of spaces which staff can enjoy according to their personality type, mood and work.

Open culture

An open and honest dialogue about mental health wellbeing is valued by the vast majority of respondents (87%), yet half (50%) said they do not feel like they can open up to their colleagues about mental health. Creating an open culture should start from the top down to encourage sharing and help improve employee wellbeing.

Jitesh Patel, Chief Executive at Peldon Rose, the office design specialists commented:

"Although identifying Blue Monday as the most depressing day of the year may be as much art as science, our survey reveals that Blue Monday does hold a grain of truth, that both mental and physical health is affected by our work environment."

"Blue Monday gives us an opportunity to talk about health and wellbeing and the steps we can take to protect it in the workplace. The first initiative is for businesses to properly understand and then meet employee needs such as good heating, exposure to natural light, office facilities and opportunities to get people more physically active. Then businesses should tailor the workplace and office environment around them and their identified needs. By doing this it will help improve wellbeing and mood and ultimately help boost productivity."