Back to Work Without the Blues: How Leaders Can Rebuild Routines and Reignite Teams

September often signals the end of holidays and the return to routine. For many leaders and employees, this transition can be harder than expected: inboxes are overflowing, momentum feels lost, and the comfort of Summer days already feels like a distant memory.

It’s no surprise that many people experience the so-called “post-holiday blues.” Yet for leaders, this moment is also a huge opportunity. Done right, the return to work can be a reset button — a chance to refocus, rebuild energy, and set the tone for a high-performance finish to the year.

At T2, we believe performance is never just about processes or productivity hacks. It’s about people. When leaders create environments of psychological safety, establish the right rhythms, and find the balance between supportive and assertive leadership, teams not only get back into the swing of things, they thrive.

Here are four leadership-focused strategies to help your people return from the holidays stronger and ready to take action.

1. Reset the Mindset with Psychological Safety

Coming back from time away can trigger stress. Some people feel guilty about being behind, others dread their inbox, and many struggle to shift from “rest mode” back into “work mode.”

Leaders play a vital role in shaping how their teams handle this transition. If you set a frantic tone — “we’re already behind!” — stress levels spike and performance suffers. Instead, model calmness and create space for people to be honest about how they’re feeling.

Practical tips:

• Start your first team meeting with a check-in question instead of diving straight into tasks.

• Encourage people to share what they need to get back up to speed.

• Frame challenges as shared opportunities, not individual failures.

Psychological safety is not an optional add-on; it’s the foundation of high performance. When people feel safe to speak up, they waste less energy masking stress and more energy contributing towards solutions.

2. Re-Establish Rhythm with High-Performance Habits

The temptation after holidays is to “catch up” by cramming every meeting and task into the diary. This only creates more pressure. High-performance teams know that success is about finding a steady rhythm — the right balance of focus, rest, and recovery.

Practical tips for leaders:

• Help your team prioritise tasks together rather than letting individuals silently struggle.

• Encourage time-blocking: dedicate periods for deep work without interruptions.

• Build in short micro-breaks to refresh energy and prevent burnout.

Elite sports teams don’t return from a break and immediately play at full intensity for 90 minutes. They re-establish rhythm, train smartly, and build momentum. Workplaces should be no different.

3. Lead the Transition: Support + Assertiveness

Leaders can either fuel anxiety or foster momentum. A supportive approach alone risks drifting into “comfort zone” thinking; an overly assertive approach risks overwhelming people. The answer lies in what we call the Chasm of Supportive-Assertive Leadership.

This means being empathetic to how people feel while also setting clear expectations and direction. For example:

• Use early 1:1s to reassure team members and reset individual priorities.

• Set short-term September goals so everyone has clarity and quick wins to aim for.

• Keep communication open, but also hold people accountable to commitments.

Supportive-assertive leadership balances care with challenge. It builds trust while keeping the organisation moving forward.

4. Rebuild Connection and Culture

Teams don’t just need to get back to work — they need to reconnect with each other. After the holidays, people return at different paces. Some are energised, others still feel drained. Leaders can accelerate re-engagement by focusing on connection.

Ideas to try:

• Host a short team huddle to reflect on key priorities for the next quarter.

• Organise a team lunch, walk-and-talk, or workshop to reset collective energy.

• Take time to appreciate colleagues who carried an extra load while others were away.

• Culture isn’t about one-off gestures. It’s about the everyday behaviours that signal “we’re in this together.” Rebuilding connections after summer sets the stage for stronger collaboration in the months ahead.

Turning the Return Into a Launchpad

Going back to work after holidays doesn’t need to feel like an uphill battle. With the right leadership approach, it can be a launchpad — a moment to reset, refocus, and rebuild momentum.

When leaders emphasise psychological safety, establish strong rhythms, balance support with assertiveness, and reconnect their teams, they turn the post-holiday dip into an opportunity for growth.

At T2, we help organisations unlock people performance by developing leaders who know how to get the best out of their teams — in every season. From leadership development programmes to high-performance workshops, we partner with organisations to create environments where people thrive.

Every team is different — and we’d love to have a chat about how you can set yours up for success this Autumn.

Ready to turn the post-holiday reset into lasting high performance? At T2, we help leaders create environments where people feel safe, engaged, and motivated to deliver their best. Join us for free on Wednesday, 17 September, for our live webinar Plan, Prepare, and Persuade: Leading Change That Lasts — and learn how to engage your people in change from day one.