The weather is warm and the pools and lakes are buzzing with activity. While everyone should be able to get out and enjoy the summer, many employers know that the heat of summer can mean a decline in workplace productivity and employee motivation. As a manager, it’s your responsibility to make sure your employees stay focused and productive during the dreadful, dog days of summer.
4 Tips That Serve as a Great Starting Point to Make Sure Employees Stay Motivated.
- Keep it cool.
The office, that is. Employees tend to be more efficient when the temperature is comfortable, so keep the office thermostat set lower during the hot months. Provide extra fans if necessary. It’s nearly impossible for employees to stay focused when they’re sweating to death. Making sure your staff is comfortable will help motivate them. Relax a strict dress code, and consider allowing employees to dress in lighter, casual clothes during the summer months.
- Offer flexibility in hours.
If your work business’s workload allows for it, offer summer hours. Think about letting your employees come in to work early and leave a little earlier. Or start later in the day, so that your staff can enjoy the sunshine in the morning. Some offices even let staff work an hour longer Monday thru Thursday and then take a half-day on summer Fridays. Getting a Friday afternoon off every week or every other week can be a major boost to office morale. Either way, offering alternative hours in the summer is a no cost way to help improve the workplace environment and keep employees on task.
- Schedule a company outing.
If you can’t offer time off or flexibility in hours as mentioned above, do your best to get into the summer spirit. Hold a seasonal event like a company picnic, 4th of July BBQ, or office scavenger hunt. Organize a company-sponsored group outing like a baseball game or community service project. These types of events serve as a nice break for employees, give them something to look forward to, and help to build team spirit. Employees want to feel like they’re part of something bigger, whether it be the team, the company, or the community.
- Say thank you.
During long, hot days productivity and morale can drop. Because of this, it’s important to offer additional positive reinforcement by recognizing hard work and celebrating accomplishments. This can be as simple as a thank you note for a small achievement, or an impromptu get-together for the whole team. A team lunch or unexpected ice cream social is an easy way to treat employees. You can also opt for a fun activity like taking the team to the movies or bowling for some air-conditioned fun.According to a recent survey, 86 percent of employees said that getting recognized for their efforts motivates them for their job. Personally recognizing and thanking employees is the easiest way of maintaining motivation throughout the summer.
Use these tips to keep staff motivated, and you’ll power right through the summer months. Need extra staff to cover vacation schedules this summer? Let the experienced recruiters at BOS Staffing help. Contact our skilled team of recruiters today and we’ll deliver the best temporary staff to fill your positions.
