Your Guide to Summer Employee Satisfaction

Often, the summer months cause employees’ minds to wander. Thoughts of great weather, vacations, and relaxation can distract from work. Here’s how you can help your frontline employees enjoy the summer months — both inside and outside the workplace.

Flexibility with hours.

In the summer, workers look forward to enjoying all that the season has to offer. Children are home from school, friends are getting together for cookouts, and families are taking vacations.

The facts:

• 75% of employees list workplace flexibility as a top desired benefit.
• 53% of companies that have workplace flexibility programs plan to invest more in them.

Perhaps employees would be willing to work 30 minutes later from Monday to Thursday in exchange for leaving the workplace two hours early on Friday. Or, maybe employees would rather work an extra hour each morning, then take off every other Friday.

Friendly competition.

To keep employees’ minds in the workplace during summer, consider offering competitions between workers.

The facts:

• Companies that promote togetherness are five times as likely to be high-performing.
• Workers with even the mere perception that a project is collaborative are 64% more determined to complete their projects. There are clear benefits to building positive workplace relationships.

Sports leagues, video game tournaments, or step-counting contests could be viable options. It depends on the culture and demographics of your workplace.

Outdoor time.

Beautiful weather places the attention of employees into the great outdoors. Allow employees to spend time outside whenever possible.

The facts:

• Psychologists agree that Americans are suffering from “nature-deficit disorder,” which has negative ramifications for mental and physical health.
• Companies like Google allow employees to spend time in nature and ensure that the office is decorated with plants — a design principle called “biophilia.”
• Exposure to the outdoors reduces anxiety and depression.

Encourage your employees to take walks during their breaks. Place picnic tables outside your warehouse or factory and allow your employees to eat lunch outside. If possible, fill the workplace with plants — or even pictures of fauna, which are also proven to increase workplace happiness.

Summer parties.

Employees usually expect parties and free food during the winter holidays. Flip the script and throw a party in the summer.

The facts:

• Workforce togetherness fuels intrinsic motivation among employees.
• Happier and more social employees are at least 12% more productive.

Hire an ice cream truck. Host a barbecue after work. Provide lemonade, iced tea, or fruits and vegetables. Each month, celebrate all employee birthdays that occurred during that time — in fact, this idea could last for the entire year.

Improve safety.

When the heat of summer kicks in, employers should ensure that frontline workers are safe.

The facts:

• Workplace injuries tend to spike in the summer.
• Long periods of standing, humid or hot environments, and physical labor cause fainting; this is especially true for older individuals.

Increase the number of water coolers in the office, and encourage workers to take water breaks frequently. Stock the break room freezer with flavored ice. Provide free water bottles to employees.

Visit qlicket.com for more information.