It’s no secret -- workplace productivity drops during the summer months. A study by Captivate Network found that North American workers are up to 45% more distracted when trying to get work done during the summer, and productivity goes down a whopping 20%.
In the study of 600 white collar North American workers in 14 major metro areas, workplace productivity takes a 20% hit during the summer months. The study also found that attendance decreases by 19% and projects take 13% more time to complete.
The prospect of leaving early on Fridays doesn't help matters either, the study reports. An alarming 53% of workers who get an early start to the weekend reported a dip in productivity, and some of those workers saw their stress levels rise because they had to work extra hours from Monday through Thursday as payback for that early Friday escape.
“It seems like no matter what kind of summer hours were being offered, workplace productivity went down at varying degrees,” says Deb LaMere, vice president of employee engagement at Ceridian, the human capital management technology provider. “From telecommuting to earlier hours and overall more flexible schedules, it doesn't seem to make a difference. People just don't get as much done during the summer.”
To try and at least counter that trend in a positive way, LaMere offers the following tips to keep the workforce – from management to temporary, seasonal employees – motivated and productive:
Schedule team events to increase morale
Host regular team get-togethers – such as off-site luncheons, themed work days and fun activities like a group run or a ping pong tournament to keep creativity flowing. Taking a break from work – whether by eating lunch with a colleague or taking a walk outdoors – can significantly boost productivity, she says.
Take it outdoors
Many departments use the summer to have training and team meetings. For most of these sessions, teams spend long hours stuck indoors in windowless rooms. Take advantage of the good weather, switch it up and take your next meeting off-site and outdoors. And don’t make it all work, she says. By organizing a team-building activity with your group outdoors, like an obstacle course or scavenger hunt, employers will not only inspire teamwork but will also get employees out in the fresh air feeling relaxed and recharged.
Allow for flexible work options
Employees need flexibility in order to achieve work/life balance, especially during the summer when children are out of school and childcare often falls to the working parent. Take advantage of flexible work options, like regularly working from home a few days a week, or heading out a few hours early, so long as work is completed. When employers allow for flexibility, they can get better results all around – not just during the summer, but year-round.
Encourage the use of vacation time
Depending on the business cycle, summer can be a quiet time of the year. While it may seem like every employee wants to take a few days off and enjoy, vacation time is a great time for employees to get away and recharge the batteries. Encourage everyone take their vacation time, because when an employee returns from vacation they usually are more refreshed and productive than ever, so this will ultimately work to the employer’s advantage.
Focus on the critical and important work goals
To avoid ongoing work overload while other team members are on vacation, employees should focus on the critical needs and priorities for their departments. Managers have to make careful decisions about how they spend time and where they invest their department’s energy. By concentrating on a few important goals and eliminating unnecessary work, LaMere says managers will increase innovation and enhance the productivity of the team members who are not on vacation.
“Maybe your practice has mile-high monthly production goals, or maybe you slow down during the August doldrums,” LaMere says. “It doesn’t matter. Scale the fun to fit the schedule and your team.”
For example, she adds, do something you haven’t done in a while, like hold an Egg McMuffin Monday, or something new and crazy, like a hula-hoop competition.
“Any team event can be a great way to bond,” LaMere says. “Just take your company’s work culture [and worker safety] into account, and remember that the goal is to be inclusive but never compulsory.”