6 Quick Ways to Reconnect with Your Team After the Holiday Break
Steal These Low-Effort, High-Impact Ways to Rebuild Momentum: Part 1 of 5 in Our Smart Restart Challenge for Leaders
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It’s officially a new year (ripe with fresh possibilities), and we’re back with a new 5-day Smart Restart Challenge to help you start 2025 off strong!
Here’s what you can expect to see in your inbox this week:
Day 1: Reconnecting with Your Team After the Holidays (You Are Here)
Day 2: Reflecting on What Worked and What Didn’t
Day 3: Getting Back on Track After the Break
Day 4: Setting Goals for the Year Ahead
Day 5: Building Momentum with Early Wins
Now, on to today’s post. 👇
Let’s be honest – getting back into the groove after the holidays isn't easy for anyone, and that includes you as a leader. Your team members are all over the place right now: some are refreshed and ready to go, others are still in vacation mode, and most are somewhere in between. But before you can effectively help them reset, you need to manage your own transition back thoughtfully.
Those first few days back matter – they're your opportunity to rebuild momentum and reconnect with your team. But don't overcomplicate things. You don't need a massive re-engagement strategy or a three-day workshop. What you need are simple, direct ways to reconnect with yourself and your team and get everyone moving forward together.
Here are six practical approaches you can use right now, starting with your own leadership reset.
6 Quick Ways to Reconnect with Your Team
1. Start with Your Own Reset
Manage your own transition back thoughtfully – your energy and engagement will set the tone for the entire team. Block out your first morning back to review priorities, clear your inbox, and set your own intentions for the week ahead. Consider what energy you want to bring to your team interactions. If you’re feeling scattered or overwhelmed, your team will pick up on it. Take the time you need to get centered before engaging with the team. (And if you’re having trouble shaking your post-holiday slump, stay tuned for day 3 of this challenge. 😉)
Why it works: When you take time to reset properly, your team will feel permission to do the same. Plus, you’ll be in a better headspace to support them.
2. Schedule Quick But Meaningful 1:1s
Start with quick, individual check-ins – but make them count. Send a brief message like:
“Hey [Name], hope you had a great break! Would love to do a quick 15-minute catch-up this week. Here’s my Calendly link [or suggest 2-3 specific times]. I want to hear about your time off and chat about what you’re most excited about for the coming weeks.”
Pro tip: During these conversations, let them guide how much they want to share about their time off. Some will be eager to discuss their holidays, while others may prefer to focus on work – follow their lead. The key is to pivot naturally to forward-looking questions like “What's one thing you want to tackle first?” or “Where do you think you might need support as we kick things off?”
Why it works: Individual attention shows you value each team member’s unique perspective and experiences. These conversations help you gauge energy levels and identify any support needed early on, while respecting personal boundaries.
3. Send a Welcome Back Message That Lands
Craft a team-wide welcome message that hits the right notes. Here's a template:
“Team – Welcome back! Hope everyone had a chance to recharge. I’m looking forward to working with all of you as we dive into [specific project or goal]. I know getting back into the swing of things takes time, so let’s start with a quick team huddle on [day/time] to reconnect and align on our immediate priorities. In the meantime, my door is always open if you need anything.”
Keep it brief, warm, and focused on the near future. Of course, modify this template to match your voice and communication style – authenticity matters more than following a script exactly.
Why it works: A well-crafted welcome message sets the tone for return-to-work and shows thoughtful leadership. It acknowledges the transition period while providing clear next steps.
4. Run a Focused Team Huddle
Schedule a 30-minute team huddle with a clear purpose. Structure it like this:
5 minutes for quick holiday sharing (one highlight each)
10 minutes to outline immediate team priorities
10 minutes for questions and concerns
5 minutes to end with specific next steps
Keep it light but productive – you want to acknowledge the transition back while creating clarity about what needs to happen next. This can work just as well in person, over a video call, or even as a structured Slack thread, depending on your team’s setup.
Why it works: A structured group discussion creates shared understanding of priorities and gives everyone a chance to voice questions or concerns. The informal sharing element helps rebuild team connections.
5. Recognize Pre-Holiday Wins
Send personalized recognition messages about pre-holiday wins. In the rush of December deadlines and holiday wrap-up, you might have missed the chance to acknowledge some great work. It’s not too late – try this:
“Hey [Name], while we were wrapping up the year, I meant to mention how impressed I was with [specific achievement]. That kind of [specific skill/quality] is exactly what we need as we tackle [upcoming challenge/project]. Looking forward to seeing what you’ll accomplish next.”
This shows you’re still thinking about their contributions and sets a positive tone for future work.
Why it works: Delayed recognition is better than no recognition at all. Starting the year by acknowledging past successes builds confidence and momentum for new challenges.
6. Create a Low-Pressure Team Activity
Launch a quick team-building activity that doesn’t feel forced. Create a shared document or Slack channel called “Holiday Show & Tell” where everyone can post one photo or story from their break. Keep it optional and light – give people one week to participate if they want to. This creates natural conversation starters for when people bump into each other and helps ease everyone back into team interactions.
Why it works: Optional, casual sharing activities help rebuild social connections without adding pressure. It gives team members control over how much they want to share and engage.
Moving Forward Together
Getting your team back on track after the holidays doesn’t need to be complicated. By implementing a few of these simple strategies, you’ll help your team reconnect and refocus while showing them you understand what they need right now.
Pick the approaches that feel most authentic to your leadership style and your team’s culture, and don't feel pressure to do everything at once. By taking care of your own transition first, then thoughtfully rebuilding team connections, you’ll create the momentum that drives results.
These reconnection strategies become even more powerful when you have clarity about what you want to bring into 2025 – and what you want to leave behind. Tomorrow, we’ll explore how to conduct an energizing year-in-review that will help you identify what to start, stop, and continue this year. See you then! 👋
Download the Lead with Intention workbook now and start leading with clarity and purpose in 2025! 👇
