Keep your cool at work

Summer is a time when staff motivation and productivity can dip. When the sun is out people’s minds are on holidays and good weather outdoors is more tempting than the office or factory. So what can employers do to keep everyone engaged? Well, in my view, it’s more than just buying in ice cream – although that’s also a great idea!

Make the most of good weather by holding team-building events. Getting together for a few drinks, a sports game or a barbecue can help everyone become better acquainted and raise morale.

In industries where there’s a summer slow-down, it can be a great opportunity to catch up on tasks that are usually at the bottom of your ‘to-do’ list.

Organise a general tidy-up or stocktake, then get everyone involved and make it fun by buying-in pizzas for lunch.

Introduce ‘summer Fridays’ by allowing staff to leave a few hours earlier on a Friday.

Relax the dress code – although do make sure it’s similar for men and women.

Make sure you have a good system for booking holidays and days off – juggling requests can be difficult but if you end up having to ask someone to rearrange their plans, give them something in return such as first refusal at Christmas.

Contrary to popular belief there is no legal maximum temperature at work although employers are expected to prevent the workplace from being uncomfortably hot. If people are complaining of the heat, common sense says something must be done about it.

Find out what people want and discuss how it could work for your staff and the business – you’ll be surprised how some simple strategies can help keep staff engaged and stop productivity from slipping.