The dog days of summer bring a long stretch of hot, humid days that seem to drag on endlessly. As temperatures rise outside, it’s not uncommon for the heat to seep into the workplace. Therefore, this can leave many of us feeling sluggish and unmotivated. The relentless warmth can make it challenging to stay focused and productive during office hours. But fear not! There are plenty of strategies managers and businesses can employ to beat the office summer slump and keep employees’ energy levels high. Whether it’s through small routine changes or creating a more engaging work environment, here are some effective ways to build motivation at work this summer:
Ideas for Beating the Office Summer Slump:
1) Offer remote work opportunities and/or earlier closing times
Providing flexibility in work arrangements can be a great way to help employees stay productive and motivated during the summer. Allowing remote work opportunities enables employees to create a more comfortable and personalized working environment. Additionally, implementing earlier closing times or flexible hours can help employees avoid the peak afternoon heat and make the most of the longer daylight hours. For some, this routine change can spark renewed productivity and improved morale.
2) Encourage vacation during slow months
Summer is often a slower period for many businesses, making it an ideal time to encourage employees to take their vacations. With many schools also on summer break, it’s a good time for families to spend time together. Encouraging employees to use their vacation days during these months only allows them to recharge and return with renewed energy. Additionally, it also helps maintain a balanced workload in the office.
3) Allow casual attire
Relaxing the dress code during the summer months can significantly enhance employee comfort and morale. Admitting casual attire, such as shorts, sundresses, or jeans, can help employees better cope with the heat. A more casual dress code can also create a more relaxed work atmosphere. To maintain a professional environment, you can provide guidelines on appropriate casual wear that still aligns with the company’s image. Occasionally adding special themed dress days, like Tropical Tuesdays or Flip Flop Fridays, add an element of fun and boosts team spirit.
4) Plan team-building outings
if your employees need a change of scenery, try organizing a team-building event where they hang outside of work. Your thoughtfulness, creativity, and effort will provide laughter and fun memory-making experiences. The Greater Fredericksburg area is full of private event spaces and uniquely fun recreational spots for celebrating employees and building team spirit. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Funland
- Urban Air Adventure Park
- Kings Dominion
- Pots & Palletes
- Board & Brush
- Penny Lanes bowling
- Reclaim Arcade
- Fredericksburg Trolley Tours
- Fredericksburg Nats baseball
5) Host an Office Olympics competition
With the 2024 Summer Olympics around the corner, now is a great time to build your Team USA spirit with a playful competition. An office Olympics competition can help reduce stress, promote a healthy lifestyle, and foster creativity. You can plan an office Olympics competition after hours by splitting employees into different teams and rotating through events. The team or player with the most points wins gold! Here are some game ideas using supplies you may already have on hand and a score sheet to keep track:
- Paper airplane toss – make paper airplanes and measure whose plane flies the furthest
- Penny stacking – put a bunch of pennies in the middle of the table and see who can make the highest stack in 1 minute
- Trash can paper basketball – see who can throw the most paper balls into the trashcan in 1 minute
- Paper clip chain – see who can create the longest chain of paper clips in 1 minute
- Office chair races – partner up with a teammate where you take turns pushing and riding in an office chair for a set distance. The team with the fastest time wins!
- Water balloon toss – simultaneously gear up for #NationalWaterBalloonDay on Sunday, August 4th with a water balloon toss. Partner up with a teammate and take one step backwards each time you successfully throw and catch the balloon without it breaking.
- Over and under sponge relay – split players into equal teams and have them form lines facing one direction. Place a full bucket of water at the front and an empty bucket at the back of each line. On “Go”, the first person soaks the sponge and passes it overhead to the next person. The next player passes it between their legs. When the last person gets the sponge, they squeeze it into the empty bucket, then run to the front of the line. This process repeats until the bucket reaches the fill line.
- Red, White, & Blue Face the Oreo – put a Red, White & Blue Oreo on your forehead and see who can get it in their mouth the fastest using only their face muscles (no hands!)
- Most Steps Contest – hold a month-long contest where employees track and report how many daily steps they take to see who walks the most
Don’t forget to download your FREE Office Olympics score sheet.
Building Morale Beyond One Season
It means a lot to boost employees’ morale throughout the year, rather than only during a particular season. In our office we organize small birthday celebrations, celebrate milestones, offer professional development trainings, and hold quarterly contests. Sometimes they’re more playful than others, but they’re always meant to build morale and inspire productivity. Sometimes we combine development activities with an in-house luncheon, early closure on a Friday, or an organized outside team building function. We try to hold most outside excursions during working hours to be mindful of family obligations after work. We recently hosted a team building function at Funland that received rave reviews from our team.
Like other businesses, we understand how the recent economic volatility has affected businesses. Even during unpredictable times, a small thank you or the trial of remote work flexibility to employees is all you need to show appreciation.
We’d love to continue this conversation with you. If you have additional ideas to beat the office summer slump, please comment below.
If your business or department is interested in learning how our staffing services can support your business’ goals, please schedule a no-obligation staffing strategy session.