Is there a workday that employees dread any more than Mondays? Since the start of the industrial age, people have looked for ways to put off the sound of the alarm clock ringing on Monday mornings. If your employees share that mindset, you may be able to do something about this problem,

Gallup analysts link well-​being to five elements: purpose, social, financial, community and physical. If your employees, like many, have a well-​being peak on the weekends, they may also have a ‘valley’ on Monday mornings. You could give them a few reasons to be more excited about coming in to the office. In particular, show your enlightened attitude about work-​life balance.

Flexing

One detail that adds to anyone’s well-​being is the ability to participate in community or social activities. Maybe your employees would love to spend time at the food pantry every Wednesday afternoon. But, they know they should be at their desks working at that time.

What if you allowed some of those employees the ability to flex on Wednesday afternoons? If they come in early or work late on other days to balance out their time, you could allow them to participate in an important activity that also gives them a sense of purpose outside of their work life.

Managers often worry that a flextime system is a slippery slope. It can be expensive to manage. And it won’t work in every environment, such as the emergency department. But if you can make it work, establish guidelines and hold employees accountable for producing a specific amount of quality work. Your employees may be more excited about Monday mornings when they can flex.

Development

Some of your employees' Monday morning blues may stem from knowing that they will be doing the same job this week that they did last week. Blah. Millennials, in particular, have told researchers that they want more training and responsibility at work.

This is your cue to meet more frequently with your employees. Ask them what they’d like to learn and about their expectations for their careers. Spend time mentoring these employees, with the understanding that they may want to change departments to try something new. Don’t take this kind of aspiration personally. Be happy that you offered the right guidance to develop an employee who can positively impact the future of the organization.

Pay attention to the details that matter to your employees. Before long, you'll noticed improved attitudes about returning to work after a great weekend.