"POST CHRISTMAS BLUES CAN COST BUSINESSES A FORTUNE. EXTRA MOTIVATION IS VITAL." ADVISES LEADING MOTIVATION EXPERT

Free booklet available on how to start the New Year positively

"Post Christmas and New Year de-motivation could cost businesses a fortune in lost sales and business," warns leading motivation expert Graham Povey.

“Companies should put a motivation programme into place as soon as possible after Christmas. Traditionally New Year is a time when employees return to the office a little sluggish and low in morale. This is even more important now that so many people are on holiday for almost two weeks at the end of the year. Workloads have piled up and the holidays are far off. A positive start to the year is good for everyone.” says Povey who is Managing Director of Chester based Capital Incentives & Motivation, the leading incentive and motivation specialists.

Povey adds, "The UK has always been behind the US in taking motivation seriously but companies are starting to realise that staff motivation is an integral part of business today."

A measure of this is the introduction of National Incentive & Motivation Week, 19th-24th April 2004, which started successfully last year. During those days events such as Incentive World exhibition and the ISP Awards will highlight how UK companies can incentivise staff and dealers with examples of successful schemes.

Meanwhile Povey advises "As a start, companies should identify a reward such as holiday or store vouchers that will inspire the whole team and then devise achievable short term targets for them".

To provide a more detailed motivation programme Capital Incentives and Motivation has launched a free guide, ‘The Art of Motivation’, in conjunction with teambuilding and performance experts Sewells Training and Consultancy.

‘The Art of Motivation’ is a briefing paper packed with advice from two leading motivational specialists. Graham Povey recommends how to gain best results from motivational schemes while insight into the psychology of motivation is provided by Will Holden of Sewells who, as well as helping many leading companies, worked with the Gold medal winning British Women’s Curling team at the Winter Olympics 2002.