Embracing the Spirit of Summer at Work
Remember the excitement as a child when the summer months rolled around? When that last school bell rang, a sense of adventure and freedom was upon us as we looked forward to warm, sunny days. As adults, this desire is still within us – but our adult responsibilities get in the way. Sitting at our desks, attending countless meetings, all while gazing outside at blue skies can be a bit depressing. Therefore, it is not surprising that during the summer, employee motivation, job satisfaction, and productivity drop.
How can we combat this decline? Is it possible to balance the freedom of summer with the demands of work? The answer is…YES! Here are a few ideas…
Encourage Time Off
Do you have an employee who is not taking time off during the summer? If so, encourage them to do so – even if it is just a day or two. According to a recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics , 50% of American workers do not use the paid vacation time they are given. Taking time off helps us reduce stress, clear our minds, and return ready to take on the world (or at least that big client project!).
Promote Work Flexibility
Adding a little flexibility into how work gets done is a great way to embrace the summer spirit. 74% of employers offer some type of telecommuting arrangement, which is a great way to promote work flexibility.
Host Family Events
Consider a companywide picnic, field day, or trip to the local baseball game. Showing that you value family time positions the organization in a positive light for the significant others – which comes in handy when you ask employees to work late nights!
Today’s employees value organizations that embrace a work environment that supports employee well-being. Having a culture that promotes work-life balance and flexibility can result in a happy and healthy workforce – and a solid bottom line. Get out there and enjoy the sunshine with your employees…the child inside all of them will love you for it!
Reach out to us at https://www.successfulculture.com/contact/ to discover how we can help you design a balanced work-life culture, the supports the whole employee. Our SCALE Academy is the perfect place to start! Building cultures where everyone feels valued is what we do best.
Make Life at Work Better for Your Team
According to a recent Bersin Report, a major focus in the years ahead will be on human performance – a combination of how we think, feel, experience, and react to the world around us. People today are experiencing higher stress levels, pressure to do more in less time, and forced to juggle multiple priorities – all with a smile on their face. So, it’s not surprising to see employees disengaging and burning out. For example, the Bersin report shows:
- Employee engagement levels today are no higher than they were 10 years ago
- Productivity in the United States after the iPhone launch has slowed (ironic considering the device was meant to make us more productive)
- Employees in the United States take 4-5 days less vacation now that they did in 1998
- Almost 40% of employees believe it is impossible to maintain a growing career and sound family life
Work-life balance is important – but don’t overlook the importance of life at work. How do we as leaders make the work we offer one that encourages employees to perform at their best AND enjoy themselves while they’re doing it? What is good about life at work at your organization? What is not? How are you challengingyour employees to be their best? Consider adopting these strategies when assessing your company’s life at work:
Offer Purpose
We all crave to find a deeper meaning in the work we do – to have purpose, to contribute to something bigger than ourselves and to feel energized. How does the work you offer contribute to the small and big picture (company, industry, community, self)? Although this is often a personal journey, employers can support the importance of discovering purpose with their employees.
Embrace Mentoring
Having someone who helps you work through challenges, pushes you out of your comfort zone, and helps to define your career path is something many of us long for in our careers. Effective mentors are perfect for this and go a long way in keeping employees engaged and excited about the work they do.
In addition to these strategies, ensuring your employees have access to the resources they need and keeping the lines of communication open are always key to making life at work better. We spend a big chunk of our waking hours at work – shouldn’t making it a great experience be a top priority? We think so.
Reach out to us at https://www.successfulculture.com/contact/ to discover how we can help your organization make your organization’s life at work better. Our SCALE Academy is the perfect place to start! Building cultures where everyone can thrive is what we do best.
