Summer is the time to live easy…but only if you’re on vacation. And for those who have to work through the hot summer months, this season could seem endless. So what can you do to keep your employees present, engaged, and motivated when the beautiful days of summer are pulling them out of their work?
In order for leaders to effectively manage their people during summer, they’ve got to be realistic. Managers should expect their employees to request for days off, take week-long vacations, and just lose their focus at work. With all that said, here are some tips on how you can make your team members enjoy summer without necessarily abandoning your business.
Turn Sick Days to Personal Days
It is customary for organizations to offer holidays and sick days to their employees. And so, those employees who would like to take a day off during summer opt to fake being sick. No employer wants to hear such excuses. Thus, you have to be honest to your employees about the importance of them being at work, and turn your sick days into personal days off so that your employees won’t have to lie about taking a day off.
Offer Summer Hours
If at all possible in terms of your business’s workload, it is a good idea to offer a work schedule that allows employees to get at least every other Friday afternoon off. This is an excellent way of boosting employee morale and will also discourage fake sick days.
Offer Options for Remote Work
Depending on the nature of your business, it might be possible for your employees to do their jobs outside the office or at home. Come up with a remote work policy that will not compromise productivity while at the same time allowing your workers to enjoy the privilege of working from home or outside the office.
Enjoy Breaks Out of the Office Together
Taking breaks outside the office is a great bonding experience you can have with your staff. You can have coffee together during your morning break, or you may invite everyone to take the afternoon off to watch a movie together. This will give all of you a chance to enjoy the warm days of summer, plus you can get to know your team on a more personal level as well.
Plan Team Events
Find a way to bring summer fun into the workplace so that employees can enjoy it somehow. For instance, you may plan for some summer barbecues where employees and their families can get together to enjoy the warm weather. Such team building activities will be greatly appreciated by your workers, and can help motivate them and boost their morale.
