The 2014 working year is back into full swing but despite research showing many Australians struggle to return to work after a break, few bosses do anything to jump start their enthusiasm.

And while money heads the Top Ten Motivators list for Aussie professionals, work/life balance and being valued and recognised at work come in a close second and third.

The national survey of 1,000 professionals was undertaken by Alliance Recruitment part of The Clarius Group, one of Australasia’s largest white collar recruitment groups, to identify hurdles to workplace motivation - as seen by professionals at the coal face.

According to the research, more than half of white collar workers find it hard to return to work after the Christmas/New Year shutdown and when they do return, less than 30 per cent of managers make an effort to motivate them.

Clarius Group CEO, Kym Quick, said employers who fail to motivate staff early in the New Year risk productivity and will lose key staff if they don’t tackle motivation.

“Most of us struggle to get back into a work rhythm after the holidays and come February we will see a dramatic spike in those looking for a new role,” Ms Quick said.

“The survey indicated that one-third of workers will look for a new job when they return to work so setting the tone for the New Year is critical and the best way to get some quick wins is to understand what motivates employees and find ways to enthuse and incentivise them.”

Ms Quick said while offering financial incentives to staff at the beginning of the year is unrealistic for many companies, bosses can inspire staff with other non-financial incentives. She suggests three actions employers’ could take.

• Organise early team event to kick-start team bonding and energise people
• Offer bonus ‘free time’ off
• Establish clear set of goals for each staffer

“Traditionally most companies celebrate with team events at the end of a year but we recommend holding an event at the beginning of the year where people can bond and start working together as a team again,” she said.

 “Managers should also ensure each staff member has set goals for the year ahead, has a professional development plan, and has some interesting milestones the employee can look forward to along the way.”

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