The days are getting longer, the sun is shining, and summer is on the horizon. While your employees are planning their holidays, make sure that you plan for summer before it hits your office. Hot temperatures and sunny days can be a massive distraction for employees. Follow these tips to make sure your employees maintain a strong work ethic despite summer conditions.
The summer season is full of employees jetting off on holiday, so it’s important that you have a strategy in place to cover your company during days off. Ensure all employees pass a handover document before they go on vacation. This will ensure that work is still being completed and everything is running smoothly. If you need to, hire freelancers so that all work is complete. Schedule posts to go out on your company social media pages during any national holidays, which keeps the interaction going even when your office is closed.
Don’t forget to encourage employees to have a holiday. When employees feel exhausted, their work will suffer, so it is imperative for them to take time to re-energise and clear their minds. They will return to work feeling refreshed and motivated again, which is always a positive for your company as employee engagement will increase.
Bring the summer feeling into the office through different work events. Organise after-work barbeques on a Friday afternoon or lunch picnics in the sun. Taking some time out to let your employees enjoy the good weather will stop them from being demotivated. They won’t mind being in the office on a good day if you give them a chance to enjoy the sun. They will appreciate your generosity which will increase their overall productivity. Offering a bonus at the end of summer if your team hits certain targets is another effective way to ensure motivation. The bonus could be a team trip away or vouchers for an airline.
The weather can get extremely hot during summer. As enjoyable as warm weather is, it can also cause heat stress which is considered a safety hazard. Put a policy in place based on a risk assessment which should include putting heat stress measurements in place and creating a plan to keep the workplace a cool temperature. Put a training session in place for all employees on what to do if they or others show heat stress symptoms and ensure there is easy access to water and air conditioning. Keeping employees hydrated is important for their health and their working ability.
If relevant to your industry, give out protective clothing and equipment, including cotton body suits and water-cooled suits. This is particularly relevant to those companies that do manual labour. Keep track of the weather forecasts to ensure your employees are prepared and kept hydrated if a warm spell is on the horizon.
With temperatures starting to rise and workers getting into the holiday mood. Now is the time to start implementing a policy to prepare for the summer season. This will help to ensure your employees stay healthy and your company runs smoothly during the season of holidays.
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