Getting Back to Work After a Vacation: Leadership Tips

3 Things To Keep In Mind When Your Team Is Back To Work After Vacation

Successful leaders know that teams can turn into mere groups after a break. So, remember the following tips as you interact with your team when they return from vacation.

Manage Focus 

Often work items don’t make the cut before the holiday bells go ringing. Also, new work gets piled on top. It often becomes difficult to identify where to begin. So, eliminate ambiguity, and bring attention to work priorities and desired business results.

Below are a few tips to help you manage your team’s focus:

* Be available and approachable. Help the team understand what tasks need to be prioritized.

* Listen, and offer support in generating a prioritized to-do list. 

* If feasible, hold a debriefing meeting for catching up and reminding the short-term and long-term goals to all team members.

Question for the team:

→ What do you consider a high-priority/low-priority work item?

Enhance trust and psychological safety

Vacation hangover can get your team feeling overwhelmed. The amount of work they find in the queue may feel like an avalanche. So, feel free to inject a bit of motivation. At the same time, encourage them to share their perspectives and anxiety related to work.

Show that you’re sticking beside them, rather than looming over them.

Below are a few tips to help you boost psychological safety in your team:

* Evaluate current project goals and ensure that current deadlines are realistic.

* Involve everyone in decision-making and collaborating on a plan of action.

* Let the team feel comfortable to open up.

Question for the team:

→ What’s the next inspiring milestone? 

→ Which of your responsibilities feel too difficult or time-consuming to complete?

→ What additional support or resources you need to make progress?

→ What are three easy tasks you can tackle to get your flow back?

Improve team bonding

The team members returning from holidays are in a happy mood. They may not be feeling very engaged at work. So, don’t force them to ‘check in’ the work mode. Instead, use this time as an opportunity to foster camaraderie and increase happiness at work.

Create laughter, bring the team together, and boost morale. Avoid turning into a killjoy because of work stress.

Good leaders know that nobody can make up for ‘x’ days of work on their first day back. But improving team bonding will have significant effects on team performance.

Here are a few pointers to help you with this: 

* Don’t lock yourself in a room to get caught up all at once. Participate in team interactions and celebrations.

* Do not schedule any tight deadlines immediately following their return. 

* Manage your emotions and your response to workload.

Question for the team:

→ How do we build and sustain the environment for high performance?