Seven Tips To Keep Motivated In The Office This Summer

Seven Tips To Keep Motivated In The Office This Summer

In the UK, August is the most common month for quitting a job, with 11.7% of all resignations across the year happening. New search data provided by Instant Offices shows that this week searches for ‘staff retention’ is up 50%!

Low summer staff retention could be attributed to many challenges depending on the type of company, but one reason is low motivation or appreciation throughout the summer.

During the summer months, many employees experience low levels of motivation, whether it be the distraction of the heat, the kids off school for the summer holidays, or feeling overworked as everyone takes turns to take annual leave or the countdown to their own summer holiday on the horizon. 

So how can employers keep their teams motivated around the summer holidays and avoid the August resignation?

Instant Offices has provided some top tips below:

Top Tips To Keep Motivated In The Office This Summer

Encourage Flexible Working

If your team are able to take an extended lunch to enjoy the sun, they may come back to work more motivated in the afternoon. We know that getting out into nature and taking in Vit-D gives us energy and helps our wellbeing, so giving your teams the opportunity to do this where possible is a great way of showing flexibility.

Summer Cover

It’s so important to ensure enough people are working during the summer. Encourage teams to book their annual leave as early as possible so replacement arrangements can be made. Whether that means bringing in contractors or people from other teams, it’s so important for an employee’s wellness to go on annual leave knowing they won’t have a mountain of work to come back to. It’s also vital to make sure all the KPI expectations are not left on the one team member, not on annual leave.

Socialising

Having a summer social and a Christmas party gives the employees something to look forward to and rewards them for the hard work they’ve put in over the past six months. Summer can be a stressful time, so having time to continue building relationships and bonds with co-workers can really help in getting through the summer months. 

Keeping Cool

It may sound simple, but keeping the office at the right temperature is vital for motivation. There’s nothing worse than sitting in a stuffy hot office. Allow your team to wear comfortable summer clothes, stack the freezer with free ice lollys and make sure to keep the aircon at a comfortable temperature. 

Outdoor Working

If you have a 121, a small meeting or a general chat that needs to happen, why not take a walk? Get out into the sunshine and embrace the fresh air for those meetings that don’t always need a meeting room.

Working From Home

During the summer holidays, parents might especially need more WFH childcare options. Being an understanding employer who allows flexible parental working will ensure that when your team is at their desks, they’re able to concentrate as they’ve had the space to ensure the children are taken care of.

Have An Appropriate Office To Work In

Whilst an office in itself won’t keep employees in a role, having a nice environment to work in can be a bonus. An air conditioned room with a good-quality coffee machine and snacks could be a factor in keeping people motivated.

Instant Offices is a tool that helps businesses search for new office spaces.

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