The third Monday in January has traditionally been known as Blue Monday, the so-called most depressing day of the year.

“January can be a difficult time of year for many reasons. We’ve seen calls to our helpline increase by as much as 15 percent in January compared to other months. Last year alone we received tens of thousands of calls from individuals, with the highest call volumes relating to anxiety, low mood, and depression,” says Bertrand Stern-Gillet, CEO at Health Assured.

“It’s time to take action – we simply cannot continue doing things the same way. Our statistics indicate that the UK is sitting on a mental health time bomb just waiting to go off. Organisations need to address the topic of mental health head-on in 2023, rather than simply buying into the stigma.

“For me, the first step is to look at Blue Monday as part of a wider focus on wellbeing. If we flip the narrative around the day from Blue Monday to Happy Monday, that gives us a chance to look at meaningful ways to make a real difference when it comes to employee mental health and workplace wellbeing.”

Top tips to make a change:

Step on 

Use the day as a springboard to get the conversation going about mental health. Acknowledge the difficulties January can bring and look for ways to brighten the mood. Mix things up by having a themed day, get colleagues talking to each other and let your team know that you recognise the difficulties they are facing.

Do it better

Look at your wellbeing and benefits provision – are you doing enough to support your people? Now is a good time to find out what benefits they would value rather than merely what you think they need. There is no point paying for a benefits package that adds no value. Stay interviews and engagement surveys can help you find out what you are doing right and any areas that may need improvement, especially when it comes to mental health support. These services can be a lifeline in times of need, so it’s important to get them right.

Bring a friend

Open communication is a two-way relationship, and the more you converse with your team, the better these relationships become. This, in turn, creates a healthier overall culture. We spend so much of our daily life at work, with lifelong friendships being formed up and down the country. Use Mondays as an opportunity to get together and share the latest updates happening across your organisation, inviting feedback, and really listening to your team’s concerns and feedback.

Pete Cooper, Director of People Partners and Analytics at Personio

“This year, Blue Monday – notoriously the most ‘depressing’ day of the year –  takes another dimension as the cost of living crisis continues to bite, adding another dimension to the return to work blues. Our recent research found that over two thirds (69%) of employees are worried or stressed about their ability to pay for essentials if the economy worsens over the coming months, and a further 22 percent are concerned about losing their job.

“But a stressed, unmotivated and unhappy workforce has its impacts. Where employees are not supported, motivation and productivity could be damaged – potentially resulting in people leaving, or “quiet quitting”.

“Ultimately, Blue Monday is just one day. But this year, it’s a good opportunity for employers to recognise the pressures employees are facing and the need to support them through the cost of living crisis – both for employee wellbeing and business success.”

What else can employers do to help?

“Another way to boost engagement and reduce churn just as employees might be thinking about a new job in January is to ensure workers have a clear career path,” suggests Wendy Muirhead, Managing Director and Regional Leader for EMEA at Ceridian.

“The big shift here is the importance of non-linear career paths. Today’s employees want to fully explore their careers, so the age-old pathways for progression don’t always apply. It’s not safe to assume that someone wants to go from specialist to manager to director to MD, because increasingly people want different challenges – and doing things the old way might mean you lose key talent. To demonstrate the powerful pull of a clear career path, Ceridian’s global ‘Pulse of Talent’ survey found that 84 percent of employees said having a clear career path makes them more loyal to their employer.”

Amelia Brand

Amelia Brand is the Editor for HRreview, and host of the HR in Review podcast series. With a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory, her particular interests within HR include employment law, DE&I, and wellbeing within the workplace. Prior to working with HRreview, Amelia was Sub-Editor of a magazine, and Editor of the Environmental Justice Project at University College London, writing and overseeing articles into UCL’s weekly newsletter. Her previous academic work has focused on philosophy, politics and law, with a special focus on how artificial intelligence will feature in the future.