Despite the occasional pitter-patter of rain hitting my window as I write this, it is indeed British summer time! 🌞 Summer is an incredible time for everyone to enjoy warmer weather, take a well-earned holiday, and spend more time socialising with friends and family after work.
However, keeping teams motivated at work during these months can be challenging. Workloads often slow down, team members are regularly on holiday, and the allure of outdoor activities is hard to resist.
So why not try some of these tips with your teams to keep them motivated, engaged, and productive over the next few months?
1. Summer Fridays: Shorter Work Days for Higher Morale
Implement shorter work days on Fridays or even give a few Fridays off! This can be a great morale booster, encouraging teams to work harder earlier in the week to enjoy a longer weekend. Your employees will thank you for it.
2. Outdoor Meetings: Embrace the Sunshine
Conduct meetings outdoors to take advantage of the good weather and break the monotony of indoor environments. Walking 1-2-1s, whether in person or virtual, are particularly brilliant for keeping spirits high.
3. Team Outings: Picnics, Barbecues, and More
Organise team outings such as picnics, barbecues, or hiking trips to build morale and give everyone a refreshing break from the office. Physical exercise and outdoor activities are especially welcomed by those who are usually stuck at their desks for hours on end.
4. Summer Challenges: Fun Competitions for Engagement
Create fun challenges or competitions related to work or personal fitness goals to keep the team engaged. Step challenges, a book-reading competition, or creating the most refreshing iced drink are fun options!
5. Flexible Work Hours: Better Work-Life Balance
If you don’t already offer it, allowing flexible work hours can help employees manage their work-life balance, especially during summer when outdoor activities and family time becomes an even higher priority. It could even be a good test to implement this full time.
6. Recognition and Rewards: Keep Morale High
Teams can sometimes feel their summer work is undervalued, and it’s just passing time until things get busier again. So why not try to implement a recognition program to acknowledge and reward employees for their hard work and contributions, keeping engagement and motivation high.
👉 Check out our recent event on improving employee engagement, recognising teams, and enhancing work culture!
7. Summer Work Experience: Fresh Faces and New Ideas
Bring in summer interns or volunteers to help with workload and infuse new energy and ideas into the team. This could be formal or involve inviting the younger family members of staff to experience office life.
8. Volunteer Opportunities: Giving Back Together
Organise group volunteer activities, which serve as team-building exercises and give back to the community. These are ideal for those quieter days over the summer.
9. Wellness Programs: Prioritise Employee Well-being
We believe wellness programmes should be year round, but why not especially offer summer wellness programmes like yoga classes outside, wellness workshops, or mindfulness sessions to remind everyone to take care of themselves.
10. Remote Social Events: Stay Connected Virtually
Host virtual social events such as online trivia, game nights, or virtual happy hours to keep remote teams connected. The beauty of these events is that they can be done from anywhere, even the garden!
11. Office Refresh: Create a Summer Vibe
Refresh the office with new decor, plants, or even a summer theme. A change of scenery can rejuvenate the team and make the workplace more enjoyable. It’s also a fun team activity to do together.
12. Goal Setting: Plan for Future Success
Use the quieter time to review goals that were set back in January and see how far you’ve come. And set new goals for the rest of the year, keeping the team focused and motivated through to December.
13. Employee-Led Initiatives: Encourage Ownership
Encourage employees to propose and lead initiatives or projects they are passionate about, fostering a sense of ownership and engagement.
14. Skill Swaps: Learn Something New Together
Organise skill swap sessions where team members can teach each other something new, fostering learning and collaboration. Whether it’s learning a new language or a fun craft, you might be surprised to find out what talents your colleagues have and are willing to share.
15. Mentorship Opportunities: Share Knowledge and Experience
Encourage mentorship programs where experienced team members can share their knowledge with newer employees. This is especially beneficial during quieter months when there’s more time for learning.
16. Focus on Personal Development: Invest in Growth
Encourage employees to set and work on personal development goals. Allocate time each week for focused learning on areas that will support their roles and growth.
17. Summer Reading List: Share Knowledge and Ideas
Curate a summer reading list of books that are both enjoyable and beneficial for personal and professional growth. You could even schedule regular discussions to share insights and foster a culture of continuous learning (bonus points if these are held outside or while on the move).
18. Staycation Ideas: Enjoy Local Adventures
Provide resources or ideas for fun and relaxing staycations to help employees enjoy their time off without needing to travel far. Collaborate with travel enthusiasts on the team to gather tips and possibly plan a local team trip.
Keep Your Teams Engaged All Year Round
So, we hope this has sparked some ideas for you. And we’d love to know what other strategies you would add to this list?
For more innovative ideas and services, learn more about Strive Employee Engagement Events. If you need support in keeping your teams engaged, whether during summer or any other time of year, email us at hello@strive-agency.co.uk to see how we can help.
