Victoria Davidson, Director of Wellbeing
As the seasons shift, so do the demands on our people. Winter brings darker mornings, colder days, and increased operational pressure, and yet, many organisations continue to operate as if nothing has changed.
We wouldn’t drive through winter with summer tyres on, ignore the icy roads, or skip checking our dashboard. We instinctively adapt out driving habits. Yet, in the workplace, that’s often what we do. We expect people to perform at the same pace and output as the lighter, warmer months, even when the environment has completely changed.
The goal isn’t to launch new initiatives, but to make small, intentional adjustments that help leaders and teams navigate the season safely and sustainably.
Recognise the seasonal impact
Winter affects us physiologically and psychologically. Shorter daylight hours reduce serotonin and disrupt sleep cycles. Colder weather and reduced movement can dampen motivation.
For many industries, retail, logistics, healthcare, and corporate services, it’s also the busiest time of year. Pressure builds, deadlines tighten, and people push through fatigue. For leaders, this isn’t a signal of weakness in the workforce, it’s a seasonal truth.
Just as fog or rain changes how we drive, the winter environment demands awareness and adjustment. The first step to supporting wellbeing is recognising that energy, mood, and engagement will naturally ebb and flow.
Help leaders ‘check your dashboard’
Think of mental and physical health like the dashboard of a car: those little warning lights don’t cause the problem; they signal that something needs attention. It’s easier to carry out small maintenance along the way then wait for a full breakdown, which costs more time and energy later.
- Fuel gauge low: Energy and motivation depleted, time to rest or reconnect.
- Check engine light: Ongoing stress or irritability, managers need to have a conversation before it becomes a crisis.
- Temperature warning: Emotions running high: a cue to cool things down with support or boundaries.
- Speedometer: Your pace, is it sustainable, or are you running too fast or too slow for the conditions?
Encouraging leaders to ‘check the dashboard’ is about early awareness, not crisis management. It means spotting changes in behaviours, tone, or energy, in themselves and their teams, before they become burnout or disengagement sets in.
For instance, five-minute 1:1s, team huddles, or even informal temperature checks can be powerful. They don’t need to be deep sessions, just moments to pause and notice what’s happening.
Adapt for the season
We don’t drive the same way in December as in July; we leave earlier, slow down, and give ourselves more space. Our approach to work should be no different.
In winter, small operational changes make a big difference: Consider meeting-heavy days earlier in the week when energy is higher. Encourage walking meetings during daylight hours and rotate breaks to allow movement and light exposure. You could also look at allowing hybrid workers to start later or finish earlier to make the most of daylight. Adapting for the season isn’t about doing less, it’s about adapting, pacing differently, and giving people the support they need.
Equip managers with a “winter wellbeing kit”
Most managers want to support their teams, they just don’t always know how. HR can help by giving them a ‘Winter Wellbeing Kit’: practical, ready-to-use tools that make seasonal support easy and natural. Include:
- Check-in prompts – short, open questions to use in 1:1s (“How’s your energy this week?” “What’s feeling heavy right now?”).
- Resource reminders – signposting to EAPs, wellbeing platforms, or HR hubs.
- Micro-break ideas – two-minute stretches or digital pauses between tasks.
- Buddy systems – pairing team members to check in on each other.
- Small wins – recognition, gratitude, or light team rituals that boost morale.
For instance, adding a short “wellbeing pit stop” at the start of team meetings, a quick stretch or a moment to rest, can help normalise wellbeing as part of the workday.
Protect boundaries and model behaviour
Wellbeing culture isn’t built by policy; it’s built by example. If senior leaders are online late at night or skip breaks, they are signalling that this is okay to the rest of the team. Instead, encourage visible boundaries such as avoiding unnecessary out-of-hours emails and reframe “busy” as a signal, not a badge. Encourage full lunch breaks and finish times while encouraging wellbeing leave/mental health days and annual leave as normal practice.
Focus on energy, not time
Traditional performance management focuses on hours and output. But wellbeing thrives when people work their energy, not against it. Encourage energy mapping, asking employees when they feel more alert and focused, and structuring key tasks around those times. It can be effective in a hybrid environment, where flexibility is possible. Energy awareness builds autonomy, ownership, and engagement, all critical in high pressure seasons.
Hybrid working adds extra complexity, blurred home boundaries, digital fatigue, and longer screen time. Set clear expectations about switching off. For example, trialling a daily no meeting or digital detox window can help everyone recharge.
Winter is temporary, but the habits we build during it can last all year.
Just as a well-prepared car handles icy roads safely, a well-prepared workplace, one that adjusts, check ins and support, can navigate the pressures of winter with confidence and care.
HR and Wellbeing leads don’t need to launch new initiatives every season; the goal isn’t more activity; it’s better awareness and adaptation.