It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a child about to return to school in late August, must be in want of a protractor. Maybe a new ruler as well. Hell, why don’t you throw in a pencil sharpener too, just to be sure. For swathes of households across the country, the start of a new school year beckons. Indeed, these are the same households that have been bombarded with ‘Back to school’ campaigns from about two days after the start of the summer holidays.
And for many of the UK workforce, that same feeling is raising its head. After bank holidays, weeks, even fortnights under a foreign sun, the next week or two signals their own ‘back to school’. And, like many of a school age, it’s a ‘back to school’ they are anticipating potentially without a huge amount of enthusiasm.
Engagement levels at many organisations are unlikely to be at stellar levels – exacerbated by news that many companies are currently hoarding employees, according to the CIPD, and may take drastic action over the next six months if the apparently mythical upturn does not start to gain traction. And the best economic news of recent weeks was an indication from the ONS that the economy declined by just 0.5%, as opposed to the original estimate of 0.7%, in the second quarter. And before we break out the Jubilee (allegedly the source of at least some of this economic weakness) bunting, output is still more than 4% below its pre- recession peak at the start of 2008. That ‘back to school’ feeling might be even more depressing at some of our banking institutions this week with the announcement that many organisations, hit by either Libor, mis-selling or money laundering woes, initiate bonus clawbacks.
And this is the working reality likely to confront many employees as they return not only from holiday but also from a phenomenon that has lifted the country like never before. It is hard to recall an event that has more successfully galvanised the country, be they sport loving or not, than the Olympics. And whilst it is to be hoped that the Paralympics have a similar effect, the five-ring party will soon be over. So how do re-gather ourselves from such a high – a high that has seen the country secure an unprecedented haul of medals, seen the transport system cope surprisingly well with the Olympic influx, seen the magnificent efforts of the games volunteers, seen positive responses to both opening and closing ceremonies, despite Russell Brand, and even seen the sun make a sporadic appearance or two?
The post summer return to work (rather like January) is always a major challenge for employers. These remain challenging economic times – despite apparently conflicting statistics (the number of people in work has risen by no less than 201,000 in the quarter ending in June at a time when GDP is contracting). However, in 2012, this return will be potentially more impactful than ever before. Employees’ ‘back to school’ will take the form of an emotional slide from the massive positives of holiday breaks and a magnificently successful Games back into the employment doldrums.
At a time when employers cannot afford major salary rises – pay increases still lag behind even a falling inflation rate – successful and committed employee engagement is critical. Harnessing the positive learnings and experiences of the Games and channelling them back into empathetic and charged working environments will differentiate successful employers from those corporate pencil cases containing blunt crayons, wonky compasses, snapped rulers and a distinct absence of protractors.
Getting to the heart of your employee mindset 
Choosing the right backing paper for our workbooks might help. Perhaps we could utilise some of the souvenir Olympic newspaper covers to keep us in the mood.
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