Keeping workers engaged is always a challenge—and in the summertime employers must compete with beautiful weather, vacations, and other distractions.
In order to foster employee engagement and keep company culture strong through the summer season, try these four tips to keep employees happy at work.
1) Create an Outdoor Working Environment
Take work or your corporate yoga classes outside. With the warmer weather here, employees are going to be itching to get out of the office.
If possible, set up a break area outside with tables and umbrellas to encourage outside meetings or opportunities to take five minutes for a quick yoga stretch.
Organize a team lunch or suggest a spot to work as a group outside of the office for a change of scenery.
Creating an outdoor working environment will encourage your employees to get out into the fresh air and the change of scenery will help them reenergize during the workday.
If you’re still working remotely, encourage “walking meetings” so that your team can still get out of their homes while working from there.
2) Focus on Wellness
Stock the kitchen with healthy, in-season snacks.
It’s always a great idea to incorporate a little fun at work.
Whether it’s a company picnic or a sports team, prioritizing wellness can help employees stay engaged and more motivated.
Summers can be stressful with the pressures of managing vacations, kids, and more.
Take the stress off your team by bringing in a masseuse or yoga teacher, giving away free massages or five minute chair yoga sessions on breaks.
Focusing on wellness is a refreshing way to remind your employees that you care about their health and well-being.
For teams still working from home, consider surprising them with a healthy Snackbox or Snacknation.
3) Recognition
Everyone loves to be appreciated.
It’s always a great idea to recognize your team’s hard work with an impromptu event.
Organize an ice cream social or get everyone outdoors for a picnic and a game of Frisbee, with prizes and games.
Or consider getting your company involved in a community service event.
Incorporating events into your workday will give employees something to look forward to, create a positive work environment, boost employee happiness, and encourage stronger engagement.
4) Encourage Vacation Days
Last summer, employees did not take many vacation days because travel was limited due to the pandemic.
This summer, encourage your employees to take their well-deserved vacation days, even if it’s just to watch some Netflix and chill.
Communicate openly with your employees and encourage them to maximize their summer by taking some time off so they do not experience burnout or decreased performance levels.