Introducing Bare Minimum Mondays (BMM). We know, it feels like every other week there’s a new work-related trend emerging, quickly gathering steam with employees – and causing concern for businesses. Like all things, however, they’re not always as bad as they may sound.
Recently, we’ve started to see a rise in the term ‘Bare Minimum Mondays’. It’s been credited to Marisa Jo, a TikTok influencer who coined the term when talking about her approach to work. She said “Bare Minimum Monday was my response to all the pressure I felt every Sunday and Monday. It’s me rejecting the idea that my productivity is more important than my wellbeing.”
Bare Minimum Monday has been confused with the idea that employees are disengaged with their work, but the reality is that employees are choosing to establish more of a defined break between their working life and their personal life.
It’s another example of the younger generation placing importance on their mental health and wellness. The idea is to prioritize self-care, instead of getting stuck straight into projects, calls and meetings right away.
Some companies see Bare Minimum Mondays as an extension of ‘Quiet Quitting’, with workers objecting to overworking and focusing on doing as little as possible to get through the ‘Monday doom’ many associate with the start of the week. Others see it as a side effect of the pandemic.
Bare Minimum Mondays shouldn’t necessarily be a cause for concern. Jenn Lim, CEO of Delivering Happiness says that employees who practice Bare Minimum Mondays can still bring their full selves to work. “We’ve experienced so much change, stress and uncertainty over the last three years, our minds – and bodies – are still trying to process what’s happening. All these new trends are just shining a light on old problems in real-time ways, confirming that how we work isn’t working for everyone anymore.”
Bare Minimum Monday feels like a rebellion against the old ways of working – and the burnout associated with over-working.
Burnout is at an all-time high
A recent Deloitte survey showed that 77% of employees say they’ve experienced burnout at their current job, with 91% reporting an unmanageable amount of stress negatively impacts the quality of their work and 83% saying work burnout affects their personal relationships negatively.
Previously, workers felt they were promised that if they embrace hustle culture, it would be a stepping stone to success. That if they worked long hours into the night, threw their whole selves into work and adopted an ‘always on’ attitude that it equaled success.
But in 2020 hustle culture came to a halt. Employees started to re-evaluate what success really meant, prioritising their health and wellbeing, time with family and what’s really important to them – vs just grinding for a paycheck. For many, Bare Minimum Mondays might be just the thing they need to avoid impending burnout.
Mental Health and the impact on productivity
As a hiring manager or internal recruiter, you know all too well that attracting top talent is only the first step in building a successful organization. With a heavy organizational cost to replace talent, employee retention is equally important. So what are some of the ways managers and companies can engage their employees to tackle the negative views of Bare Minimum Mondays.
Mental health is one of the biggest indicators of how – and how well – we show up in our work and everyday lives. That’s why many businesses are instead framing Bare Minimum Monday as ‘Mental health Mondays’, taking what is often seen as a negative, and re-framing it as a more positive spin that prioritizes their employees and teams.
Self-care and mental health look different for every worker. One person’s mindfulness technique is different to another’s boxing class, massage or walk around the block with their favourite true crime podcast
Pre Covid-19 when employees were mostly office based, there was a commute, breakfast, and informal chats while making a coffee before setting up for the day. With hybrid work, their commute may be from one room to another, with no small talk, diving right into execution and their endless to-do list. Bare Minimum Mondays can provide a breather day, focusing on high-priority tasks, not busy work, that can move the needle and limit stress and burnout.
For companies, Bare Minimum Mondays relates back to the frequently discussed word: ‘Flexibility’. Companies should consider ways they could implement a less frantic, more focused approach to the start of the week.
More and more, we’re seeing employees fighting to feel empowered, to find a balance with more flexibility and find new ways of working with their managers.
What benefits could Bare Minimum Monday offer your company?
While the jury is still out on the long-term impact of Bare Minimum Mondays, some expected benefits companies are seeing include:
- Increased productivity and effectiveness
- When workers are only completing critical work on Mondays, they can focus on them much more effectively. Avoiding meeting distractions and general busy work, it may actually result in higher-quality work, with fewer mistakes
- Reducing burnout and absenteeism
- By taking their Monday at a slightly slower pace, employees can take a step back from the usual stress that can accompany the start to the week and get through the day feeling more positive. Additionally, by pushing non-essential tasks later in the week, they’re less likely to feel overwhelmed – meaning they’re less likely to call in sick. In this way, employers can create a more supportive and sustainable work environment.
- Better attraction and retention
- In the war for top talent, employees look to companies that are focused on creating a better sense of work-life balance. Initiatives like Bare Minimum Mondays may actually help employers stand out from their competitors as more innovative. This could be a strong attraction for new (and for retaining existing). talent.
However, it’s worth noting that there could be obvious downsides to Bare Minimum Mondays, including a decrease in productivity as some employees use it as an opportunity to take their foot off the gas completely. It also may be a temporary solution to a much deeper issue. A lack of motivation and engagement could stem from various factors including a toxic work environment, being burnt out from a lack of clear goals and expectations or a lack of purpose.
For some industries, such as construction or logistics, that need a more consistent level of productivity throughout the week – it’s likely not feasible without having a knock-on effect for the rest of the week.
Making Bare Minimum Mondays work for you
For companies that are looking to see how they can utilize Bare Minimum Mondays to try and increase employee engagement, here are a few ideas that could help make it happen:
- Setting clear expectations with employees
In order for employees to perform at their best, employees need to know and understand exactly what is expected of them. With alarming stats like less than 4 in 10 remote or hybrid employees clearly know what is expected of them at work, it’s clear there’s work to be done.
Set clear goals and objectives, provide regular feedback, and offer support and resources to help them achieve those goals.
Another way to set clear expectations is to establish a culture of accountability. By promoting a culture of accountability, you can create a sense of ownership and investment in the organization’s success.
- Upskill your managers for success
With Gallup reporting that only 1 in 3 managers are engaged themselves, it’s clear we need to be up-skilling managers, equipping them with the tools to succeed in the hybrid working environment we find ourselves in.
Managers are best placed to understand the problems, issues and feedback of their team and you may need to set structure in place within the organisation to help your managers spot opportunities of note when it comes to employees who might not be engaging with their work.
At a minimum, it’s recommended that managers are regularly having meaningful check-ins and conversations with their team to understand how they’re doing – and to try and reduce any lingering disengagement or burnout that might be impacting their team members.
- Building a positive work environment
Much of a company’s culture previously happened naturally in a shared office; lunches together, after-work social events, and water-cooler chat. Today, companies need to be even more proactive in establishing and maintaining a positive workplace environment in a hybrid working world.
Nobody likes to feel undervalued or that they’re stagnating in their work, so companies should work hard to ensure there are developmental opportunities for their team – or they’ll quickly find they may be dealing with disengaged workers.
To create a positive work environment, it’s important to foster a culture of respect, trust, and inclusivity. This can be achieved by providing open and transparent communication, recognizing and valuing employee contributions, and promoting a sense of belonging.
- Embracing Flexibility
Post-pandemic, employees are consistently asking for one thing, flexibility. Whether it’s about where they work from, choosing the working schedule that works best for their productivity – or now, prioritising their working schedule to be at their most productive.
Companies and their employees should work together to implement as much flexibility as they can, helping empower their teams and ultimately, working together to become more efficient and productive.
- Promoting a real sense of work-life balance
Work-life balance is a term that is regularly thrown about when it comes to the blending of our time. With the rise of technology and smartphones, it’s much easier to find yourself checking emails of the evening, or quickly responding to that Slack message.
But in a world where burnout is on the rise, companies should proactively encourage their team to disconnect and recharge.
Encourage your team to take regular breaks throughout the day. As the need for commuting subsides, employees often find themselves working earlier in the morning, later and through their lunch breaks. Establish breaks as part of your culture to get the best of out your team.
Promote self-care within your organisation. It’s no surprise employees don’t perform to the best of their abilities when they’re not feeling their best. Whether it’s a walk in the sunshine during the day, or a wellbeing perk you can offer, help them recharge and reset to perform their best.
Additionally, offering wellness programs and resources, such as mental health services, stress management training, and fitness classes, can help employees better manage their stress and promote overall health and well-being.
- Foster a real sense of purpose
Employees are more likely to stay engaged when they feel that their work has meaning and purpose. This can be achieved by regularly communicating the organization’s vision and goals, and by providing opportunities for employees to contribute to (and be recognized for) the organization’s success.
One effective way to foster a sense of purpose is to offer opportunities for volunteerism and community involvement. This can help employees feel a sense of pride and accomplishment in their work, and can also help build stronger relationships between employees and the community.
Finding ways to make Bare Minimum Monday work for you
We only seem to be at the beginning of what Bare Minimum Mondays could mean for your orgranization – and your employees. However, like many of these trends, it’s less about reacting to the term, or the movement, and instead keeping your focus on creating a culture that works for all involved.
Less focus on the trend, more focus on what works best for you. As we say, these trends are coming thick and fast, so while it’s good to keep an eye on what is happening – at its core, success seems to be about setting clear expectations, working with employees to help them be the more efficient and create an environment where they feel valued and engaged.
In the meantime, if you’re looking for help with your volume-hiring campaigns, we’d love to help. Chat with us here.
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