Tips for a Productive Summer

Whether you are an individual service provider or owner of a business with employees, you may have noticed a trend that productivity tends to decrease between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

There’s something about summer where the time-off requests rise with the temperature, even if you are the one asking for time off. More importantly… presence at work doesn’t exactly mean a worker is there. From reflecting over the previous weekend to daydreaming about plans for the next weekend… summer makes sure that work is less interesting.

Beat the summer slump by:

• Enforcing strict vacation policies. If overlapping vacations are planned poorly, other employees are likely to feel resentment and fatigue. Proper request, scheduling, and approval processes can keep the workplace productive during vacation heavy months by covering each department with the additional support needed.
• Fit the right employees to the right projects. Getting employees involved in the projects they love and are excited about is the best way to ensure each employee will put in the right time, effort, and attention… regardless of how nice it is outside.
• Offer positive incentive. With dogs, children, and employees… positive rewards ignite positive behavior. (Negative consequences or punishment, however, does not do the same.) When you catch an employee doing something right, be sure to reward that behavior and make it an example for others.
• Schedule play time. Planning time for fun at work, such as a company picnic or even a volleyball game during normal business hours, will motivate workers to put in the work hours and will also bring in some of that “fun” that everyone is distracted about.