The summer months have officially arrived, and with the season comes a much more relaxed workplace. Casual dress codes, Summer Friday early dismissals, and employees using their PTO for vacations.
Chill vibes aside, there is still plenty of work that small businesses need to focus on completing. It can be difficult to motivate employees on days where the weather is unusually nice or if they’re staring at photos coworkers are posting on Instagram of their trips.
If you feel like a summer slump is about to hit your startup, beat it back (while getting the job done) with these tips.
1. Encourage team members to take mini breaks throughout the workday
Many new startups require all hands on deck, at all times, during their early days in business. This kind of commitment doesn’t change during the summer months either. If you’re physically present in the workplace, you should be ready and willing to pitch in and work hard alongside the team.
However, it’s important that you don’t push yourself to the brink of burnout. Make time throughout the workday to take mini breaks. Go for quick walks outside, take five from your desk to give your eyes a rest from the screen, or catch up with a coworker in the break room. These mini breaks help you return back to your desk refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the day’s tasks.
2. Bring summer fun to the office with planned events
Coordinate events for everyone at the office to enjoy with summertime themes! Organize a weeklong “camp” at your company with different activities planned for each day. You may also plan a spirit week event or designate a day each month for a summer potluck.
These types of events give your team members something to look forward to beyond their pending vacation time. They also play well on social media, giving audiences a glimpse at your company’s unique culture behind the scenes.
3. Take it outside
Introduce a change of scenery to the workday by getting outdoors. Instead of having meetings in an office, hold a walking meeting with your team. Skip eating lunch at your desk for a picnic table or park.
If possible, discuss with your team members the possibility of allowing them to work for a few hours each week remotely. Let them take their remote work to new locations like coffee shops and libraries — so long as there is WiFi available!
4. View your daily workload as the Olympics
The next Summer Olympics won’t be until 2020, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring the spirit of the event to the workplace.
Cheer your employees on with their workloads! Rather than let them see their to-do list as something impossible, encourage them to view it from the POV of an Olympic Champion. Do you need to do any prep work, like research, in advance before starting a major assignment? Which hurdles, or tasks, can you cross off the list with ease? How can you best manage your time on a daily basis to reach your gold metal — I mean, goals?
Swap out the mentality of coasting by for the summer with challenging workloads for each person. For every challenge they’re able to achieve, your team members will feel more and more like champions within their departments and be better able to prepare for seasons beyond summer.