How to Keep Your Staff Motivated During the Summer Holidays
When the sun comes out to play, you may find that many of your employees are spending more time daydreaming about holidays than actually getting on with any work. There are so many distractions during the summer months, that keeping your staff motivated and focused can be a tough task. Here are some of the best ways you can keep employees dedicated to the job, as opposed to planning their summer sun getaway.
Consider Your Workplace
If the office is too dark, too hot, too dirty or just too dingy then it’s unlikely you’re going to get anyone working hard during the summer holidays. Now is the perfect time for a spruce up of the workplace, to boost those energy levels and overall productivity. Consider a thorough clean and maybe a lick of paint here and there. Ensure you’ve got windows and blinds wide open, to let in as much natural light as possible. Also, energy levels are bound to drop when the temperatures rise, so invest in air conditioning or several fans to keep tiredness at bay.
Make Time for Fun
Everyone sees summer as the time to let their hair loose and have fun; your employees are no different. Ensure you keep spirits high by organising some fun activities to make the most of the sunshine. It could be a staff trip to a theme park or even a picnic in nearby woods. If you don’t have the time, or the funds, to organise a work trip then consider how you can bring the outdoor fun indoors. How about an office picnic, as a lunchtime treat? Or perhaps a giant after work BBQ in the car park? There are lots of ways of bringing fun to the workplace, which will keep your staff motivated and ready to work hard.
Be Flexible
Some employees can find summer holidays stressful, due to their children being off school or not being able to afford to go abroad. If this is the case, try to bring in some flexible working hours to give everyone a much deserved break. Employees will still work the same amount of hours, just at times that suit them better. Let staff know they can start earlier or later, depending on what suits them, as long as they still the work same amount of hours and as hard as they usually would. You’ll find that this could increase productivity by a substantial amount!
Set Goals
Having a target to work towards will always increase motivation, so ensure you’ve set the team a ‘Summer Target’ for the sunnier months. Short term goals are just as important as long term goals, as staff like to know how their hard work is paying off. Give everyone a summer target, with the possibility of a reward at the end of it (think the fun activities we’ve already looked at). You should see motivation shoot through the roof!
By using a combination of these techniques, you should begin to see a big difference in the motivation and dedication of your staff. These tricks may even help you become a bit more productive yourself, whilst dreaming of your next week, or two, of time off!
