Is It Time For Casual Mondays?

We think of Friday as the day when people are fired up and full of energy. Many offices choose to relax the dress code on that day, and give their employees a bit of relaxed fun. But some new research suggests that Monday might, in fact, be the best day for managers to shake things up a bit.

A new poll from candy maker Mars finds that twice as many American workers feel more “energized and productive” at the start of the work week than at the end of the week.

The company’s workplace-dedicated Mars Drinks segment commissioned the poll as part of its new “Rethink The Daily Grind” initiative.

Viewing Monday as the new Friday would certainly involve a re-think for most people, but it kind of makes sense.

On Friday, all anyone is thinking about is the weekend. However, Monday finds workers refreshed, and focused on the week ahead. This would be the best time for management to interact with employees, and get the creative juices flowing.

The company has come up with some simple ways to engage employees:

Coordinate a “Monday Morning Happy Hour,” where people can connect and get energized for the week over a hot beverage and some breakfast snacks.
Implement once-a-month “Casual Monday,” encouraging even more people to look forward to Mondays.
Start the week with a positive vibe by recognizing accomplishments and milestones – both at work and personally. Celebrating moments like work anniversaries, birthdays and life events like buying a house or having a baby.

So there you have it: Mondays are not the bluesy, blah days we assume them to be. In fact, they can be your “idea factory” day, or just a good time for a company party.