Fighting the Summer Productivity Slump

Everyone is familiar with the doldrums of summer – sweat drenches power suits, heads slump on desks — the days seem long, and the humid nights aren’t always restful.

Summer takes a toll on nature, and also on people. How do you keep a company moving through this very intense season of the year?

Here are some excellent tips for summer productivity that we’ve found useful in talking to Fresno, California businesses.

Cool Off

One of the most basic and fundamental tips is keep a cool and refreshing space for people to work in. It’s no good trying to motivate people while they’re gasping for breath in a 99 degree conference room. Make sure your HVAC systems are up-to-date and that when people come in to work, they get a nice energizing blast from the air-conditioner.

Special Refreshments

Summer is an excellent time to set up something like a meadow tea dispenser or some infused water. You would be absolutely amazed at how much a simple tank of water with lime, lemon or orange slices floating in it can have a pick-me-up effect on the team. A cold drink in summer is like a refreshing shower — it helps us reset our systems and gets us going.

Get People Going with Events

You can also take advantage of the ‘summer culture’ to boost people’s motivation through special events. You can use holidays like the Fourth of July, or just get out a grill and cook up some chicken, hot dogs or hamburgers. Assuming you have the right equipment and proper grilling safety, you can create an excellent corporate event right in the backyard. But if you don’t have someone with the right grilling experience and tools, an event like this can go awry. There’s always the option of scaling it down and scooping up some ice cream instead.

Try a Special Program

Summer can also be a great time to experiment with wellness campaigns, pilot programs or anything else new that might not be feasible toward the beginning or end of the year.

Flex Some Time

With the long summer days, there’s an excellent opportunity to allow workers to flex time in ways that will be more comfortable to their personal schedules. Even if you keep a strict lockdown on flexing time throughout the year, easing up a little in the summer can have a very positive effect.

Take a look at the Full Steam Staffing blog for more on how to keep people energized all year, and how to run a business for success in today’s fast-paced business world.