At many workplaces, leaders view the new year as a fresh start. But those expectations should be managed, as teams may not be plowing ahead at full speed in early January, Korn Ferry reported.
Thirty-three percent of offices were occupied during the first week of 2023, compared to 48 percent in December, according to a measure from security company Kastle Systems. Korn Ferry noted several reasons employees may be lagging during the first month of the year.
For starters, many schools are still off during the first week of the year, complicating child care for working parents. And with Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the middle of January, the month can feel choppy, making it difficult to hit a consistent workflow. Some employees have yet to kick the vacation mindset — a 2022 survey from Korn Ferry found that 67 percent of professionals were taking longer winter breaks than usual this year.
"It's great for everyone to take real breaks after more than two years of crisis, but getting people started and into a normal rhythm is good for people and good for business," said Leila Lance, advisory leader for Korn Ferry's Global Technology Market practice.