As the winter season is approaching, the gray skies and cold weather are turning smiles upside down everywhere. For most people, winter often feels like an endless trip through the darkness. Most employees commute to work when it’s still dark and come back as the night settles in. As a result, even the friendliest coworker can get a little grumpy during the cold season. Consequently, as your team is likely to show less patience and comprehension during winter time than in summer, it’s essential to pay close attention to their work environment. You don’t want to give them a reason to grow dissatisfied about your business. Here are the 4 office mishaps that irritate employees the most during the winter season.
#1. The IT slows them down
Picture the scene. You’re sitting at your desk. You’re ready to finish your report, but suddenly a notification message appears on the screen and informs you that the device is about to install an upgrade. And there goes your next hour, waiting for the installation to be completed. If the installation fails, you need to restart again. At the end of the day, employees don’t want to waste time with IT problems. They expect the business to sort out upgrades, support, and services with minimum disruption. That’s precisely why successful businesses work with professional IT service providers, such as Frontline, to manage their IT needs. Ultimately, IT disruptions can cost up to 70% productivity.
#2. The lack of a decent brew
If your kitchen area has only a small kettle, tea bags, and instant coffee, you can expect your team to be disappointed. While you may not have the budget for full board catering service, you can make the necessary improvements to keep your staff motivated. A coffee machine might seem like a small addition, but it can dramatically improve the mood in the office. You’d be surprised how much more your team can achieve with a decent brew! Indeed, the consumption of coffee improves the natural alertness of the mind. But it also helps your team to feel more comfortable in the workplace.
#3. Passive-aggressive colleagues
Post-it notes are rarely used to make notes on the go. On the contrary, they tend to be repurposed for passive-aggressive behavior in the office. You’ve probably come around notes left on the printer or in the fridge. Workers can find these notes stressful and irritating. Left unattended, they can create a destructive atmosphere in the office. As a manager, if issues occur in the workplace, your role is to ensure that things can get addressed adequately – if necessary.
#4. Not keeping your team warm
Most employees struggle to stay warm in the office during the winter month. More often than not, the workplace can feel cold or even drafty as businesses try to control their energy consumption. However, while it’s important to keep your bills low, you need to put the comfort of your team first. A cold office affects the team’s morale and productivity.
From a freezing office to a slow laptop, your team can get disrupted by daily inconveniences in the workplace. The accumulation of these can lead to frustration and angry behavior. If you don’t want your employees to quit over an insignificant matter, you need to make sure to keep the office environment pleasant in winter!