Chapter 4 of 7:
5 Tips: How to Maintain Job Satisfaction During the Dark Season
You’re probably familiar with the feeling of lower energy levels that arrives with autumn and winter. As energy levels drop during the darker months, job satisfaction, employee well-being, and perceptions of a healthy work environment can all be compromised. In this blog post, you’ll learn how to support your employees through the darkest time of the year.
It’s dark in the morning when the alarm goes off. Really dark. And that affects your mood. You feel less ready for the day and need more time to get going. Maybe even a few extra moments under the warm covers?
It’s perfectly natural for tiredness to follow you into your everyday life and into work. And that can affect both your effectiveness and that of your employees. Fewer hours of natural daylight influence our nervous systems, making us feel more exhausted.
Shorter daylight hours and seasonal mood changes are associated with an increased need for sleep and stronger cravings for energy-boosting foods, particularly carbohydrates—a pattern commonly observed in seasonal affective disorder and reported by medical health sources.
If you’re a manager or an HR/People & Culture professional, read on to learn how to support your employees’ mental health during the winter months.
You are reading a chapter in our series: HR‑ON All the Way
This series comprises several HR guides that provide you with concrete insights and tools for every stage of the employee journey.
Right now, you’re on:
Chapter 4 – Five Tips: How to Maintain Job Satisfaction During the Dark Season
Also read:
Chapter 1 – The Employee Experience A-Z: The invisible thread you can weave into every experience
Chapter 2 – Understanding the onboarding dimensions? How to work with culture, rules, and network from day one
Chapter 3 – Boost Your Onboarding with These 3 Focus Areas: Collaboration, Competencies, and Results
How Can You Boost Employee Job Satisfaction?
As a manager or HR/People & Culture professional, it’s a good idea to pay extra attention to workplace well-being and employees’ mental health during the autumn and winter seasons. You can achieve this by launching initiatives that help employees navigate their everyday lives and feel job satisfaction—even on the darkest days.
Start by acknowledging the reality that energy levels tend to drop in autumn and winter, and discuss it openly at work. Say it out loud so employees know their workplace recognizes that a slight drop in productivity is expected—and that it’s a natural part of living in a Northern European country.
At the same time, introduce the initiatives you’ve prepared to support employees and help maintain a great work environment throughout the year. Read our tips below.
5 Tips to Enhance Employee Well-being in the Darker Seasons
Here are suggestions for actions you can implement at your workplace to support a healthy work environment and boost job satisfaction during the darker months. Pick the ones that work best for you.
Tip 1: Encourage Daily Exposure to Daylight
Encourage employees to take a walk in natural light every day, even during work hours, such as after lunch.
Why it works:
Having employees “see the light” daily helps reduce tiredness and improve mood, especially when combined with physical activity. Exercise can also help prevent symptoms of depression. In other words, it directly contributes to a healthier work environment and more stable job satisfaction.
Tip 2: Provide a Quiet Resting Space
Offer a room where employees can take a break and rest during the workday.
Why it works:
Extra breaks and opportunities to rest are worthwhile because both our bodies and mental health require more rest periods in the winter. This can increase overall job satisfaction among your team.
Tip 3: Maintain Social Events at Work
Organize and maintain social activities—such as holiday parties, seasonal celebrations, Friday night bars, or board game evenings.
Why it works:
Many people tend to withdraw socially in autumn and winter because they feel tired and drained. By maintaining social gatherings, you strengthen employees’ mental well-being and foster a sense of connection among them.
Tip 4: Introduce Mindfulness Practices
Incorporate mindfulness exercises into the workday, allowing employees to participate together or independently, as needed. You can find inspiration, for example, from Positive Psychology.
Why it works:
Taking a moment away from work tasks for mindfulness has several positive effects. Research indicates that mindfulness practice fosters enhanced self-awareness, improved emotional regulation, and sharper cognitive focus, while helping to manage stress, reduce anxiety, and alleviate depressive symptoms, ultimately contributing to greater overall well-being in the workplace.
Tip 5: Track Well-being Continuously
Use HR‑ON Wellbeing to track job satisfaction and overall well-being—and benefit from professional support and proactive action from psychologists and other specialists before signs of low well-being become serious.
Why it works:
Continuous data provides insight into your employees’ well-being, allowing you to identify downward trends as the dark months approach. This will enable you to act quickly if well-being drops. You also gain access to a Response Team—a professional support system that helps HR and leaders act responsibly and rapidly at the first signs of struggling employees.
What We Do at HR‑ON
At HR-ON, we focus on employee well-being throughout the year. Some of the initiatives we offer include providing a room where employees can take a short rest during the day.
In addition, employees can team up in pairs or groups to play padel during work hours. Exercise boosts well-being and lifts the mood—and so does social interaction, which is why we encourage employees to take advantage of this opportunity.
Many also use part of their lunch break or another free moment during the day to take a walk in the daylight and get some fresh air.
Reflect: How Do You Support Job Satisfaction During the Dark Months?
To strengthen job satisfaction and well-being at your workplace throughout the winter, try this short reflection exercise—either on your own in the HR team or with your leaders.
Reflection exercise
Write down the initiatives you already have that support employee well-being and a positive work environment during autumn and winter.
Evaluate each initiative with these questions:
- Does it contribute to job satisfaction on both an individual and a team level?
- Is it clear to employees that this initiative exists?
- Is it actually being used?
Then consider:
- Where do we first react when well-being drops—and where are we too late?
- What could we track more systematically?
Finish with one concrete step:
What is one thing you can adjust or try this winter to strengthen well-being and job satisfaction?
This exercise will help you move from good intentions to action—and work more proactively on your work environment.
Job Satisfaction Takes Attention – Even in Winter
Job satisfaction doesn’t happen by itself, especially in months when the darkness seems stronger than the light. But with the right approach, you, as an HR or People & Culture professional, can help create a work environment where well-being and job satisfaction are taken seriously year‑round.
When your company acknowledges the conditions under which employees are working—and closely monitors their well-being—it becomes easier to act on time to prevent struggling employees. This strengthens employee well-being, the psychological work environment, and the feeling of belonging at work.
If you want to work more systematically with well-being at your workplace, HR‑ON Wellbeing can help you gain ongoing insights and support from a Response Team to act before low well-being turns into serious issues.
Look forward to the next chapter in our HR guides, where we dive deeper into how you can strengthen the employee journey—even when everyday life gets demanding.
Read also: Workplace Well-Being Cards
FAQ: How do you ensure job satisfaction in your organisation during the dark season?
How does the dark season affect job satisfaction?
The dark season can lead to lower energy and affect mood, which can put pressure on both job satisfaction and employee well-being. Less daylight can make it harder to stay focused and motivated.
How can leaders enhance employee well-being during the winter months?
Leaders can support employee well-being by acknowledging lower energy levels and introducing concrete actions that promote a healthy work environment during the dark months.
Why is daylight essential for well-being at work?
Daylight has a positive impact on energy, mood, and overall well-being. Opportunities for daylight during the workday can significantly improve the work environment.
How are the work environment and job satisfaction connected?
A healthy work environment is a foundation for both well-being and job satisfaction, as employees who feel safe and mentally supported tend to experience increased engagement and job satisfaction.
How can you work more systematically with well-being and job satisfaction?
By continuously monitoring well-being and job satisfaction, you can react early to signs of decline. Tools like HR‑ON Wellbeing help you take proactive action that benefits both employees and the organization.
