Summer is a season of vacations, outdoor activities, and relaxation. However, for many folks, the summer months can be a challenging time to balance work and personal life. And with attendance rates in the summer falling by as much as 19% due to employee vacations, the pace of work can slow down, and productivity may suffer.
But there are things employers can do to ensure that business keeps moving forward without compromising their teams’ happiness and fun in the warmer months.
In this blog post, we’ll explore alternative workplace expectations during the summer that promote flexibility and balance, allowing employees to enjoy the summer months while maintaining their work obligations.
What Are the Benefits of Summer Flexibility?
As stated above, reduced productivity, vacation time and slower pace can lead to a lack of engagement and motivation among employees. However, by providing flexibility during the summer months, employers can increase job satisfaction and employee engagement while decreasing turnover. Simply put, employees who feel they have control over their work schedules and can enjoy their summer activities are more likely to be motivated and committed to their work.
One of the significant benefits of summer flexibility is that it improves work-life balance. With longer daylight hours, warmer weather and a wide range of outdoor activities, the summer months offer many opportunities for employees to enjoy their personal lives. By providing flexible work arrangements, such as telecommuting and flexible schedules (like the coveted Summer Fridays), employees can have the freedom to work in a way that suits their personal needs while still meeting their work obligations.
In addition to improving work-life balance, summer flexibility can also enhance productivity and efficiency. When employees feel supported and valued, they are more likely to perform at their best. By providing employees with the flexibility to work in a way that suits their needs, employers can help to reduce stress and burnout, which can lead to increased productivity and efficiency.
“Sun’s Out, New Workplace Expectations Out”
Introducing more flexibility in the workplace during the summer is a two-way street. Redefining expectations can also benefit your business in the long run—and it doesn’t have to be a one-size-fits-all solution. There are several alternatives to traditional workplace expectations that can promote summer flexibility.
Work-Life Balance
Telecommuting, flexible schedules, and job sharing are all great options that allow employees to work from home, adjust their schedules or share responsibilities with another employee.
Learning and Development
Summer training and development opportunities can also be an excellent way to keep employees engaged and motivated during the summer months. With a less busy schedule, employees may have more time to invest in their professional development—yet another factor proven to increase job satisfaction and engagement.
Community Involvement
Not to mention, flexibility in the summer allows for new opportunities to give back. Nearly 80% of employees said that they believe that volunteerism is essential to employee well-being. By enabling employees to participate in community service programs or volunteer activities, employers can help employees to connect with their communities and feel like they are making a difference while also feeling an internal sense of purpose and fulfillment.
When Setting New Expectations, Communication is Key
Communication is always key in the workplace, especially when setting new expectations to ensure employees are happy without significantly impacting the business’s performance. It’s important to prioritize not only communication but also early and effective planning and collaboration. Employers should be willing to listen to employees’ needs and concerns and work together to find flexible solutions that meet both the employees’ and employers’ needs.
If you’re a change-maker ready to incorporate summer flexibility, you’ll likely expect some resistance to change and skepticism from directors or C-suite leaders. Disrupting the status quo will always pose a challenge.
This is where coming prepared to educate company leadership about the many benefits of a flexible workplace, setting clear expectations and guidelines for flexible work arrangements, and monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of these arrangements and adjusting them as needed.
Find Your Summer Flow With Peoplelink Staffing
The summer months can be a challenging time for employees to balance work and personal life. However, by promoting summer flexibility, employers can increase employee engagement, productivity, and satisfaction while maintaining their work obligations.
If you’re ready to embrace a more flexible work environment in the summer months and beyond, contact Peoplelink Staffing today to learn more about how we can help make your organization attractive to top talent.
