Summertime Motivation
23 Aug 2016
I know it may seem a little late to be focusing on a summer related blog, but it is after all the UK and as the great British weather has finally, over the last few weeks, let us enjoy some glorious warmth and clear blue skies, I though it apt to look at how the good weather and summertime activities affects us as employees.
Well, I heard on local radio that 40% will have tuned into an Olympic event. At work!
The same percentage of people will also have tuned in to the Euros and a staggering 55% of the 9.2 million who watch the Wimbledon men’s semi-final will have done so from the workplace .
All these sporting events and record breaking temperatures will inevitably have an impact on staff morale and motivation.
With the sun is shining, the birds singing, Britain’s great hope is competing in the sport event of the moment. A cold one in the local beer garden or a picnic in the park is calling. Who wants to be relying on the air con to keep them from turning in to a puddle of shirt, suit and tie, or listening to the hum of their computer as they hammer away at the keyboard while drinking coffee in an artificially lit room?
The answer- Not very many.
As productivity drops during the summer months and attendance also takes a hit, how can you combat this and ideally reverse the effects of the summer sun?
It’s all about motivation and engagement. If you understand that summer can be particularly tricky when it comes to keeping morale high and that engaging your staff during this period is important you are hopefully on to a winner.
Where do you start? Here are a few suggestions:
1. Flexible Friday- During the summer months a lot of businesses give staff the option to work from home on a Friday. This allows them to enjoy the sun from the comfort of their back yard deck chair while still getting on top of their end of week tasks. Giving employees a sense that the weekend has started early is a huge motivator.
2. Organise a summer fun social- Now all our regular readers will know the OpenCRM team love a social event or outing and we are not alone. Take advantage of the warm weather to drive productivity and engagement levels with a team building day or summer fun day. A team picnic or sports day would be right up our street. OpenCRM Olympics here we come!
3. Screen that Final- The summer always seems to be awash with some major sporting event or another and as the stats above show many tune in from the office. Rather than have staff watching BBC Sport in secret, screen that next big event in the staff/ meeting room. The camaraderie of supporting your national side will make for a more cohesive team.
4. Set a fun tone- Even though work must go on, setting a summertime vibe in the office will, to some degree, reflect the fact that it is actually summer. So open the windows, play some reggae and fill the staffroom freezer with ice creams. Staff will feel they are being rewarded and you will send the message that work is not all drudgery during the summer months.
5. Work to summer hours- Yes, this is radical and I know it won’t work for all businesses, but by making simple changes like late starts on Mondays or early finishes on Fridays, you can keep employee morale at an all-time high and of course put yourself in the running for boss of the year.
With just a few changes and a bit of thinking outside the box, you can allow your staff to make the most of the summer while gaining back valuable productivity and creating a fired up work force who are ready to face the winter months ahead.
