The lazy days of summer are officially here. This means some employees are distracted by vacation weather, while others may become flat-out unmotivated. While research has shown that an increase in sunlight can have a positive impact on some people’s moods, new studies show that heat can have a negative effect when it comes to productivity.
Research from professors at Hamburg University and the University of Southern Denmark found that when we have temperate temperatures our happiness increases. However, higher heat and humidity can cause some people to be more irritable, decrease motivation and increase sleepiness. Simply put, the hot summer months can put your employees in a weather-related funk.
Here are seven ways to revitalize your team this summer and increase productivity so your business avoids the summertime slump.
Summer Slump Strategy #1 – Ask for New Ideas
New ideas come from thinking creatively. Improve your employees’ moods by encouraging them to think outside the box and offer up new ideas that could help the company grow, expand or improve.
Summer Slump Strategy #2 – Offer New Training Opportunities
Get employees reengaged and interested by offering up training opportunities. Ask around to find out what employees are most interested in, then give them the means to learn a new skill. Not only can this improve employee morale, but anything that enhances employee skillsets is a good investment for the business.
Summer Slump Strategy #3 – Take a Climate Survey
A climate survey is an opportunity for employees to provide their input on where they think management is excelling and where they could use a little work. It’s another way for employees to become more engaged by sharing ideas on how the company can improve as a whole. Taking their suggestions seriously and implementing the ideas will reenergize your team because it shows that you value their input.
Summer Slump Strategy #4 – Take a Staff Retreat
Instead of fighting the vacation urge, go with it as a way to reinvigorate employees and get them invested in the business. Call it early one Friday and take a staff retreat somewhere fun. A picnic, baseball game or other outdoor excursions can be a valuable team building opportunity. Bonus: Being outdoors can also reduce stress and boost mood.
Summer Slump Strategy #5 – Recognize Employee Achievements
Make the summer months the time to recognize the achievements employees have made so far during the year. A special luncheon or afternoon event will show employees that you appreciate their hard work and keep them motivated to hit future milestones.
Summer Slump Strategy #6 – Shortened Summer Hours
Having summer hours is a trend that’s catching on in many industries. Essentially, it means working a more compressed workweek in which employees work harder in a shorter period of time and as a result, get off earlier or work one less day a week. You could consider taking a baby step towards summer hours by ending Friday at 3 p.m. instead of 5 p.m. As pointed out in The ONE Thing tasks take as long as the time that we allot for them. Shortening the workweek by a few hours doesn’t mean that less will get accomplished. In fact, by boosting employee morale and making productivity a stipulation for summer hours you may actually see an improvement in how much gets done.
Summer Slump Strategy #7 – Bring Your Kids to Work Day
Kids are out of school during the summer, so this is the perfect opportunity to initiate a day when employees can bring them to work. The focus of the day can be showing all the kids what the entire business does, starting with their mom or dad’s job. Activities for the kids can be organized, as well as an office tour where each employee explains what they do to the entire group. Giving the employees the opportunity to share their work with the kids can be a huge mood booster and help everyone feel a little more proud of their role at the company.
Just like photovoltaic cells, you can harness the power of the sunny, hot summer months rather than letting it get employees in a slump. All it takes is the right motivation.
What do you do to keep motivation going for yourself and for your staff during these hot summer days?
Original Source: http://www.the1thing.com/applying-the-one-thing/tips-on-revitalizing-your-team-this-summer/