The feeling of “checking out” during the summer might be left over from our school days; perhaps it’s brought on by the nice weather, longer days, and a craving for patios. If you have parents among your employees, you could see a rise in vacation time during the summer, but for the employees still in the office, it’s wise to keep an eye out for lower morale and less motivation. No employer wants to be leading a team that loses its motivation during the summertime.
In order to keep spirits up – and the focus on important tasks, rather than the beer garden that beckons – there’s plenty that employers can do to make sure their staff remains glad to come to work during the summer months. Here are just a few things you can organize to maintain employee engagement and workplace happiness during summer:
Team Bonding – Outside the Office
Your staff already wants to be anywhere except the office – so give them what they want. Think back to the most recent couple of months: Did your team work extra hard on a group project? Did they land all their deliverables while putting in plenty of overtime hours? These are all great reasons to take a day for the team to relax and bond, while making sure they know how much they’re appreciated by the company.
Pick a day in the summer (preferably a Thursday or Friday) and organize an employees-only (or employees + loved ones) event away from the office. Make sure your staff knows about this planned event far enough ahead of time so that they can manage their workload accordingly. If at all possible, instruct employees to let clients know of their absence, and to put their email’s Out Of Office message on – this day should be about disconnecting from work rather than constantly checking smartphones for email.
As for deciding what activities you want to do as a team, the sky’s the limit (depending on budget and location, of course). From barbecues to beach days to scavenger hunts, your employees will no doubt enjoy a well-organized day outside the office. A day off is also a great way to encourage more team bonding. Wind down with free food and drinks, and it’s more than likely that your employees will leave happy – and with renewed faith that their accomplishments are being recognized and rewarded.
Engage Them With Programs
To keep an employee’s mind sharp and their attitude engaged, you’re going to want to offer them more ways to learn on the job. Although summer might not seem like the most opportune time to get employees to come in early or stay late, it’s still a nice change of pace to bring in motivational speakers, put together “lunch and learn” sessions, and foster collaboration and creativity now rather than in the darker days of winter.
Also, this is a great time to put together a financial wellness program to help educate staff on saving and spending. After all, summertime marks the halfway point of the year, which means we’re halfway to Christmas – a time when financial education will come in handy. Plus, financial stress doesn’t have an off-season, so it’s wise to provide employees with resources and skills to encourage healthy saving and investing for their future.
Charitable Ventures
Summertime is prime time for corporate bonding by way of charity events or volunteering. The weather outside is beautiful, and employees are more than likely looking for an excuse to get out of the office for the day, so why not choose to take a day off work in order to help others?
Benefits of corporate volunteering include:
In fact, 75% of employees feel better about their employer when they get the opportunity to participate in company-led philanthropy. These good vibes can even lead to higher employee satisfaction, brand loyalty, and productivity back in the office!
So, if you want to give your staff the excuse to be away for a day, put together a day where you can all volunteer at the local food bank or at a homeless shelter – or create teams to tackle separate charity fundraisers. It’s more than just corporate glad-handing, it helps foster a sense of happiness and satisfaction.
Make It Flexible
If your workplace doesn’t already have a work from home policy, summertime might be a good occasion to create one. By giving your employees the option to do their work remotely even once a week, you’re helping them maintain work-life balance – a big deal in the summer, especially when children are out of school.
For offices that require their employees to be working on site, there’s still a few ways to encourage getting some fresh air and sunshine. Suggest “walking meetings” outdoors rather than in conference rooms, or allow employees to work outside if they’re properly equipped.
There are also a number of companies that allow their employees to leave early on Fridays in the summer, or before holiday weekends. Since people tend to mentally check out on Fridays anyway, it can help boost morale if you simply lean into it and give them the option to leave around noon or 3 p.m. (so long as they finish any vital assignments, of course). This lets your staff take advantage of the longer summer days, and in return, you get a more engaged workforce for the time they are in the office.
Keep Focused
A lot of us may still think of summer as the season of vacation, which means it can be disappointing to find yourself sitting in the office on a beautiful day. That’s why it’s smart for employers to acknowledge that their staff might get a little distracted, and to start planning events and programs to keep everyone engaged and encouraged in their work. Additional bonuses include improved company morale and a stronger sense of happiness in the workplace – which just goes to show that you can create a healthy work environment no matter what the season.
What are some of the best ways a workplace can engage its staff during the summer months? Tell us what you think in the comments.
