Now that the weather is finally getting warmer, it gets tougher to be in the office all day. When summer hits, by Tuesday at noon, everyone is starting to wonder when the weekend will be here, with visions of outdoor patio dining, beach bummin’, or sipping a cool beverage in the backyard. The good news is that there are some ways to delay those thoughts until at least Thursday evening. Here are three easy ways you can help keep your employees on track and focused during those summer hours.
How can you be proactive about keeping your employees motivated to continue productivity through the hot summer months? Start by asking them!
Your employees to find out what will drive them. Maybe it’s rotating shorter hours on a Friday, working from home one day a week, or bi-weekly company outings somewhere such as a new rooftop bar. Share the results, and collaborate on how to best put them to use. People feel valued when they have input on company operations, thus are more likely to be invested in a program that they helped to create. People want to be heard.
Once the plan is in place, make sure it is honored. It’s demoralizing when you think you are getting out early on a Friday afternoon, but have to stay to cover someone who called out sick that morning. You want to create the opposite effect; boost morale and keep employees engaged during those months. Keep an option open for feedback in order to continually improve the work environment. Again, giving people a voice is a very powerful motivation tool.
In addition to the ways mentioned above, there are also plenty of. When it warms up, it seems that everyone comes out of hibernation looking to check things off their summer bucket list. Help employees do that by offering incentive rewards such as gift cards to concert venues, restaurants, or even for spontaneous fun. Others might enjoy gift cards to favorite outdoor stores to stock up on gear for an upcoming camping trip. As always, personalization is key. What incentivizes one individual, may not work for the next. Acknowledging each person’s interests will make it far more effective.
Giving a cool, fresh feel to your employee engagement and/or incentive programs will help set the tone for successful summer months. It will create buzz and excitement about fun in the sun, as well as the work that will go into getting them there. Contact us to learn more today.
