Post Holiday Blues: Why employees dread returning to work after a break

You’ve probably heard employees complain about the “Sunday Scaries”, the end of the weekend wrapped up in a ribbon of persistent thoughts about the return to work. 

But have you heard about “post-holiday blues”? 

Some HR managers certainly have, and they know it’s their job to recognise and support employees struggling to transition back to work after a holiday.

Returning to work can cause employees untold anxiety as they mourn the loss of all the joys that come with managing their own time and multiple days off with their loved ones. Some employees return from a holiday and realise their normal lifestyle is boring. 

It’s an issue that can happen after a long weekend or an extended break, and it not only makes going back to work harder, but it also eats into the precious time they have to relax.

This is why surveys show that employees consider quitting or leaving their jobs when they are away on holiday. Minor sadness feels more like intense dread and they find themselves questioning whether your organisation, their manager or their day-to-day life is the problem.

https://giphy.com/gifs/Jv8unTsruhuFy 

And now it’s time to get real: many people in your organisation experience this. A survey conducted by Skyscanner (yes, the cheap flight search engine) reveals that one in five Aussies experience the post-holiday blues and almost half use the thought of their next holiday to combat these negative feelings. 

We associate vacations with travelling, recharging, and lounging on the beach, but time off is not all rainbows and fairies. We know that employees struggle to set work boundaries. Emails, text messaging, Slack, and Teams blur the lines between company time and private time, making it easier than ever to check in to work.

Why do employees feel bad?

Employees spend time preparing for holidays. They’re exciting, and we anticipate them, sometimes counting down the days. We know that over half of Aussies plan holidays during the standard weekday work hours of 9am – 6pm. And with that they book annual leave and get whisked away on holiday.

Then suddenly, it’s over. Getting back to the day-to-day with perhaps nothing big to look forward to can cause some depression or at least disappointment. 

Employees can also find the transition jarring. 

Making the jump from sleeping in, relaxation and comfort to their busy and tight working week and structured life can be a sharp contrast for many. And making the switch back can cause a real shock to the system.

If employees are coming back disengaged or overwhelmed, that’s a problem HR needs to tackle head-on.

And it doesn’t matter if employees take two days off or two weeks, returning to the desk brings a new set of tasks and goals added to anything that carries over into the new year from the old. It can feel overwhelming and insurmountable.

Here are some strategies HR can use to do something about it.

Break the Fourth Wall

Nobody wants to see employees struggling when they come back to work. As HR managers your job is to support them and sometimes that means acknowledging it’s hard and being upfront. 

Encourage managers to have honest post-holiday check-ins. Ensure managers ask them how they feel about their work, how often they dread returning, and what can be done to make their transition easier. 

By opening up these conversations, managers create a space where employees feel comfortable sharing their genuine thoughts and concerns. And as an HR manager, you should remind employees that it’s okay if they admit they’re unhappy or even considering leaving because that’s valuable information for you! 

Knowing and addressing these issues is better than pretending everything’s fine while employees quietly disengage. You build trust by showing genuine care and a willingness to listen, and employees are more likely to open up. Sometimes knowing someone’s there to listen can make all the difference.

Dig Deeper 

As Marvin Gaye famously said in 1971:

Returning to work isn’t always the issue—it’s often the workplace itself. 

HR managers need to encourage leaders and managers to dig a little deeper and find out why employees have post holiday blues. Does the work environment need to be more exciting? Do employees feel unchallenged, or have they outgrown their roles entirely? 

Here are some questions to ask employees: 

• Are you looking for more dynamic tasks, opportunities for growth in the organisation, or simply a change of scenery? 
• Would reassigning a task or offering a new project rekindle a sense of excitement?  
• Are you looking within the organisation to find a role that better suits your ambitions?

As a manager, you need to address the root cause of the blues, not just the symptoms.

Gratitude. Gratitude. Gratitude.

Gratitude isn’t a silver bullet fix, but it’s a powerful daily tool that helps reshape the mindset around what you have. It also reduces cortisol, the stress hormone! 

Encourage managers to express appreciation for their hard work, especially after they return from leave. A simple “welcome back” message or a “thanks for your dedication” note goes a long way in making employees feel valued.

But it’s not just about managers expressing gratitude; it’s about creating an environment where employees practise gratitude too. 

Remind employees to reflect on what they enjoy about their work, their colleagues, or even the flexibility they might have. Employees who focus on the good are more likely to feel a sense of purpose and connection, even when the post-holiday blues hit.