The holiday season brings a flurry of fun and stress for all employees. It can be a tough adjustment to get back in the swing of things as many are feeling the post-holiday blues. Here are 5 ways to keep employees motivated and show how much they are appreciated as the New Year begins:

1) Wellness Wednesdays: Health and wellness eases stress and promotes increased productivity. Every Wednesday, go for a walk as a team, take an exercise class, or ask employees to bring in a healthy lunch option and take the time to sit together and catch-up.

2) Professional Development Goals: Managers can sit down with their team members individually, to talk about their professional and personal development goals for the year ahead. Managers can strategize how to achieve these goals, and can suggest courses, conferences, or seminars to help their team members tune in to what skills they would like to focus on and develop.

3) Set Team Resolutions: Having a unified front can help ease the stress of getting back on track after the holidays. As a team, sit down to discuss resolutions that can be achieved together and lay out your project plans for the spring.

4) Make Meetings Fun: At the first staff meeting after the holidays, have a PowerPoint collage of pictures showcasing the highlights of team members’ time off, and have everyone share their favorite memory.

5) Sponsor a Volunteer Day: Give the office a day or half-day to volunteer at their charity of choice. You can give several options and take a group vote. This will promote good will and be a day that the team will always remember.

Showing appreciation and building the spirit of comradery will kick-off the New Year in a positive direction, and get employees excited to be back at work.