September always has a certain energy about it. Perhaps it’s the echo of sharpened pencils and the smell of new shoes, but as schools in England and Wales return, so too does the working world shift back into gear. For many of us, especially those with families, it signals the start of a more structured routine after the looser, more flexible days of summer.
But this transition isn’t just for parents or people in education. For managers, teams, and individuals across organisations, it’s a timely opportunity to settle back into routine, take stock, and re-engage with colleagues, culture and performance. And for some, particularly new starters and emerging talent, the return to rhythm is not just helpful, it’s essential.
1. The Power of Routine
Routine is often underrated, yet it plays a critical role in setting the tone for individual and collective performance. It provides rhythm, reliability and, crucially, focus. After the ebb and flow of summer, now is the time to reset expectations, re-establish working rhythms and make space for strategic thinking, not just reactive doing.
If you are a manager, September is also a moment to reconnect with your team. Not just operationally, but as a human being. Reassessing team energy, recalibrating workloads, and revisiting goals ensures everyone is aligned and re-engaged as we enter the final quarter of the year.
2. Supporting New Starts
For trainees, graduates, and new starts, this back-to-school feeling is more than notional, it’s real. They’re navigating the working world, learning the ropes, and trying to find their footing in a new environment. And while hybrid and remote working have benefits, they can also leave newer colleagues adrift.
Bringing people together in the office, even if only a few days a week, creates the conditions for onboarding, culture-sharing and relationship-building that no virtual call can replicate. A structured routine gives them the anchors they need to grow in confidence and capability.
3. Gen Z Wants to Be in the Office
It may surprise some, but emerging data and experience both suggest that Gen Z want to be in the office. Not because they don’t value flexibility, but because they’re hungry for connection and learning.
Working from home in your early twenties can be isolating, even lonely. And more importantly, so much of how we grow professionally comes from the incidental; overhearing how someone handles a tricky call, watching how a colleague leads a meeting, or grabbing a quick word with a mentor. These moments are the invisible curriculum of the workplace, and they only happen in shared physical spaces.
4. Proximity Matters
One of the simplest, yet most overlooked benefits of being in the office? You can see when something’s not quite right. That slight change in someone’s body language, the quiet withdrawal of a normally vocal colleague, or the tension that begins to creep into team dynamics are easier to notice, and address, when we’re together.
Spotting issues early means we can step in sooner, whether it’s to offer support, clarify expectations, or redirect efforts before they go too far off-course.
5. A Crucial Window for Leadership Growth
For managers, September is also an opportunity to grow your leadership. With people back in the room (even part-time), it becomes easier to delegate with clarity, coach in real time, and provide immediate, relevant feedback.
It’s also a great moment to practise Social Style and Versatility – understanding how different people show up, how they communicate, and how to flex your own approach to build better, more effective relationships. These soft skills are anything but soft; they’re foundational to high-performing teams.
Making the Most of the September Momentum
At KWC Global, we believe training should deliver results – not just insights. That’s why we focus on practical application, behaviour change, and performance improvement, long after the workshop ends. Whether it’s through one-to-one coaching, targeted team sessions, or full-scale programmes, we’re here to help individuals and organisations take advantage of these natural moments of reset – like September – to unlock the next level of growth.
So whether you’re returning from a sun-drenched holiday, gearing up for a busy Q4, or helping someone new find their feet, now’s the time to lean into routine – and the opportunity it brings.
And remember – it’s not long until your next appraisal. Let’s make sure those report cards reflect effort and progress. Otherwise… it might just be detention for you.
