Eight in ten British workers suffer from seasonally adjusted motivation (SAM) and feel they are less productive in the winter, according to research by Peldon Rose.

The report is based on a survey of around 1,000 office workers in London. It suggests two-thirds of respondents feel more motivated in the summer months while only 7% feel they are more productive in winter. Other findings in the report include 70% of workers admitting to feeling bored when sat at their desks.

Peldon Rose chief executive Jitesh Patel said it is “all too easy” for workers’ motivation to be aversely affected by a “cold, dark, damp commute, leaden skies and winter malaise”.

“This is a widespread issue which businesses can easily tackle with a few simple initiatives. Trust and appreciation must be addressed in an office to maximise happiness and in so doing the other factors of making a productive environment, home comforts and removing boredom will be addressed,” he continued.

Engagement and smart incentives key to productivity

A separate study by Xactly suggests getting employees engaged with their work and their employer is key in maximizing workplace motivation. But it also urges organisations to be smarter about the way they use financial incentives.

More than one-quarter (27%) of those polled cited their financial bonus as their main motivator. However, 45% are paid hourly and have no chance of a bonus and one-quarter said their pay was in no way linked to their performance.

Increased pay (34%), better commission and bonuses (27%) and better internal recognition were quoted as the biggest drivers of motivation. Away from money flexible working (25%) was the most popular incentive.

“The UK is currently experiencing a huge productivity challenge – UK productivity currently falls behind the likes of the US, Italy, Germany and France. The government is taking steps to address this with the Productivity Plan announced this year, but UK plc must play its part too,” said Tom Castley, ‎vice president EMEA at Xactly.

“These findings highlight the gap between what motivates employees and what businesses are doing to engage them. The best way to boost productivity is to boost employee engagement – financial incentives are key. Of course, this isn’t about throwing money at the problem – but smart, performance-based financial reward must be utilised to help the UK pull itself out of the productivity pit.”