We’re all heading back into the office, but it can be hard to shake off the holiday attitude. If you’re finding that it’s slow going getting back into the swing of things, we have some advice.
In the news, there are reports that the cost of the floods could reach £5 billion, but there’s good news for jobseekers.
Top news stories
PM defends government spending as cost of floods set to top £5bn
The cost of the winter floods across the UK will breach £5bn, with about a fifth of the bill falling on those with inadequate or non-existent insurance policies.
Number of job vacancies hit post-recession record in November
There were almost two unfilled positions for every jobseeker, with total vacancies hitting 1,244,772.
Retailers warned to brace for lower consumer spending in 2016
The forecast shows that the growth of retail sales to fall slightly to 1.7% in 2016, down from 1.8% in this year, despite consumers having more money to spend.
UK the ‘world leader’ in ecommerce, says Google boss
He says the UK is “far ahead” of the US in the e-commerce market and he sees no reason why the next hundred billion pound e-commerce or tech startup could not come from here.
Key dates for your diary
1 January: The Occupational Pensions (Revaluation) Order 2015 came into force. This details the revaluation percentages from 1 January 2016 onwards. Find out more here.
11 January: The Exclusivity Terms in Zero Hours Contracts (Redress) Regulations 2015 comes into force. This puts in place the ban on exclusivity clauses in zero hours contracts, so workers can take more than one role. More information on the Government website.
Getting back into work mode
The first day back at work after the holiday has been called “Miserable Monday”. But it doesn’t have to be a painful transition. Here are our top tips for making your first days back go swimmingly.
Make a to-do list
One way to ease back into work is to make a to-do list. This helps you focus on everything that needs to be done, gets your head back into work mode and helps you to prioritise. Then you can pick a couple of quick and simple tasks to do first, so you feel you’ve made some progress.
Sort your inbox
If everyone else has been out of the office, then hopefully your inbox will have been relatively quiet. But if there are lots of messages in there, it can be a daunting task to get it back under control.
The simplest way to do this is to skim-read the emails and file them based on what needs dealing with immediately, what can be handled later in the week and which simply provide useful background or reading. Putting your emails into folders can give you a sense of control - and there’s something great about having an empty inbox.
Think ahead
If you’re not inundated with work when you get back to work, now can be a good time to think about what you’d like to achieve this year from a personal and work perspective. Take time to ponder what went well last year, what you would do differently and how you’d like things to progress this year.
Set some clear goals so you have something to work towards. New year’s resolutions can be a good way to do this.
Develop good habits
If you spent last year eating lunch at your desk and not taking breaks, now can be a good time to set up a new routine. Bring healthy, balanced lunches to work, make sure you take regular breaks and get out for a lunchtime walk. Research shows that getting away from your desk and into the fresh air could even make you more creative.