Press release:

Sweet Treat Monday

Sunday 21 January 2018

Managers plan chocolate and cakes for “most depressing day of the year”

We have some good news. Chocolate might just be coming your way today as research from CMI shows managers have no intention of letting Blue Monday get them down on January 21. Instead managers have plans to keep their teams happy and are planning a morale-boosting Blue Monday that might just include chocolate.

The date is frequently cited as “the most depressing day of the year” thanks to a combination of factors including the weather, money worries, failed New Year resolutions and the fact that most people are fully back to work after the holidays.

However, according to a survey carried out by CMI and involving nearly 950 UK-based managers, many will use Blue Monday as an opportunity to motivate staff and boost morale.

Some of the key measures that managers have up their sleeves to keep their teams happy include buying sweet treats for staff, encouraging people to take a lunch break and allowing them to head home early. On a more serious note, 63% said they intend to boost morale by praising their teams and showing recognition for jobs well done.

Overall, survey respondents are feeling pretty downbeat about the economy – nearly half (47%) said they feel pessimistic about it and only 40% think their organisation offers them good career prospects. Nevertheless, they are putting a brave face on things and will be jazzing up office life on January 21 with a range of treats. A few managers (16%) said they are even planning to take their staff out to lunch or implement a “dress down” day. Interestingly only 3% thought Blue Monday is nonsense.

CMI’s Head of Policy, Rob Wall, said keeping employees engaged and motivated is the hallmark of a good manager.

Any manager worth their salt knows that a happy workforce is a productive workforce.

Recognising hard work and valuing employees’ contributions - often in simple ways, such as by praising good work, buying treats or taking the time to talk to people - makes all the difference. Bringing cakes or chocolates into the workplace, on an occasional basis, can be an effective way of building morale and boosting performance.

It might seem that Blue Monday doesn’t have much going for it but clearly our members at CMI don’t see it that way. They will be making a real effort to turn Blue Monday into a positive experience.

Rob Wall, CMI’s Head of Policy

CMI’s Managers Voice survey involved 940 UK based CMI members and was undertaken between 6th November and 4th December 2018.

- Ends -


Media contact:

Notes to editors

About CMI

The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) is the only chartered professional body for management and leaderships, dedicated to improving managers' skills and growing the number of qualified managers.

Our professional management qualifications span GCSE to PhD equivalents, including the unique Chartered Manager award, which increases earning potential and improves workplace performance. We have been registered as an apprentice assessment organisation by the Skills Funding Agency.

CMI has led the way in developing a suite of trailblazing management apprenticeships with a 40-strong group of employers. These start from Level 3 (team leader) and Level 5 (operations manager) through to Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship. The Senior Leader Master's Degree Apprenticeship gives employers the option to upskill up to executive and C-suite level. CMI is a Skills Funding Agency-registered apprentice assessment organisation.

We provide employers and individual managers with access to the latest management thinking and with practical online support that helps them to embrace change, create high-performing teams and keep ahead of the curve.

With a member community of more than 157,000 managers and leaders, we promote high standards of ethical practice through our Professional Code of Conduct, and help managers to build their expertise through online networks, regional events and mentoring opportunities.