Once the weather starts to improve, employees begin to flock to the beach, beer gardens and plan their holidays. With so much to look forward to, and so many people booking time off work, it can be difficult to keep your team motivated during the Summer months.
Digital media company Captivate found that, on average, Summer causes a 20% drop in productivity. Also, a study by university teams in Greece and Denmark found that rising temperatures make it more challenging to work, with decreased brain functionality.
Here are some tips companies can take to maintain productivity during the Summer months.
Holiday policies
Having a good holiday policy makes it clear to employees how much notice they need to give if they want to book some time off work. This allows management to make sure that there is enough people in the office to continue operations with minimal disruption and ensures productivity is not compromised. It also gives people enough time to delegate tasks to colleagues, ensuring that everything will be handled when they are out of office.
Consider contractors
Contract staff are a flexible and convenient way of utilizing experienced professionals. Contractors can be brought in for a specific period of time to complete a project or they can be brought in during the Summer months, when productivity may be lower due to permanent staff being off on holidays.
Here at Reperio, we have an extensive database of IT professionals who are eager to begin their next contract role. Get in touch with a member of our team today if you have a project coming up that requires experienced professionals.
Encourage time off
Encouraging some time off can sound counter-productive to improving productivity. However, taking some time off work is important for reducing the risk of burnout.
Employees should be reminded about the benefits of taking some time off and be encouraged to take time off during the quieter Summer months. Employees who do take some time off will come back feeling refreshed and are likely to be more productive as a result.
Encourage frequent breaks
Sitting in an empty office when it is quiet and there is very little to do will naturally reduce motivation and productivity. Therefore, employers should encourage frequent breaks, which is also known as the Pomodoro Technique. This is based on the idea that frequent breaks improve mental agility and productivity. It involves using a timer to break work hours into 25-minute intervals separated by short breaks.
Flexibility
Flexible working can be particularly beneficial for employees who have children and do not have access to childcare over the Summer months. Allowing people to plan their personal life around their work life and trusting employees to get the work done (even if it is outside the traditional working hours) will ensure that productivity is maintained and disruption is kept to a minimum.
Encourage time outdoors
Spending some time away from your workspace, whether you are working in the office or working from home, can help to boost mood, spark creativity and improve productivity. It also helps employees feel like they are not missing out on the good weather. Therefore employers should be taking their stand-ups out in the sunshine and/or encouraging employees to go for a walk on their lunch break.
Staying motivated and productive during the Summer months is always going to be a challenge. However, if you follow some of these tips, it is likely your employees will be happier and more productive as a result.
Written by Michelle Corry