16 Jun 2016

4 ways to combat the cost of the summer slump

It’s hard to concentrate when you’re in an office and the sun’s blazing outside. You could start to think of all the things you’d rather be doing: the beach, the park (or even that long-awaited holiday that’s coming up).

Businesses across the UK suffer from a dip during the summer months - warm weather and people switching off before their annual leave which might be having a knock-on effect on productivity.

In fact, ‘summer laziness’ is costing businesses as much as £7.79 billion, collectively, according to research by Approved Index, with over half of UK workers admitting they work fewer hours over summer and 62% believing efficiency decreases. To put that into perspective, businesses are losing on average £305.86 per employee over the summer months.

So how can you combat summer laziness from your employees? We take a closer look at a few ways.

1) Give them something to look forward to

Working when the sun is shining is always a slog. Your staff don’t want to be chained to their desks, they want to be relaxing in a beer garden or lazing in a park. Incentivise them to get through the working week by planning an office trip to the pub on Friday night. Show them you appreciate all their efforts by buying the drinks. Alternatively, plan a big summer bash or team day out to mark the end of summer. Facebook’s summer parties are the stuff of legend – featuring ferris wheels and petting zoos!

2) Be flexible

A little flexibility can go a long way during the summer. Let staff mix up their hours so they can leave early on a Friday and make the most of the weekend, or let them work from home so they can take their laptop into the garden. A third of top companies in the US offer ‘summer Fridays’ where staff are allowed to work half days on a Friday.

3) Keep the office cool

We Brits aren’t particularly used to warm weather, so temperatures in the late 20s and 30s can throw us. If the mercury soars make sure your workers are comfortable by providing fans for their desks and letting them wear shorts on particularly warm days.

4) Encourage holidays

Everyone needs a break and for many staff the reason they are being unproductive is simply that they are ready for some well-earned time off. Encourage staff to take holiday during the summer months and put plans in place to ensure their work will be covered effectively. Take a look at our guide to holiday planning for tips. When your staff return they’ll be rested, recharged and ready to work. In fact, Approved Index’s research shows that 60% of staff feel their work significantly improves after a holiday.

This article was provided by Unum.