Summer time is great. The sun’s out, the weather’s warm and everyone’s in a good mood. Even at work, the atmosphere is lighter and people are happier. However, there’s always going to be those days when you’re gutted that you’re stuck in a grey office, missing out on the fun that summer brings. It’s something that a lot of us have to deal with, but there are some ways that you can bring summer into the office and make working life during the hotter months a little bit more bearable. Read on to find out my top tips for making summer in the office more bearable for you and your team:
1) Become more flexible:
Allowing a bit more flexibility in the summer time turns the workplace into a much more relaxed environment. You could allow employees to leave early, set one day where employees can arrive a bit later or set up a flexi-time scheme so that there’s a bit more freedom.
2) Bring it outside:
That Tuesday afternoon meeting? Take it outside! Moving meetings away from the office means that employees won’t feel like they’re trapped at work. Having meetings outside breaks up the day and makes it a bit more interesting too.
3) Get rid of the dress code:
This may sound pretty drastic, but removing the dress code will mean that every employee will feel more comfortable during the summer months. Employers are often wary about doing this, but getting rid of the dress code won’t mean that people turn up looking awful, it just means they’ll be slightly more casual than usual.
4) Host a work BBQ:
Summer is all about the sun, fun and food. What better way to incorporate them all than by hosting a BBQ!
5) Encourage holidays!:
As a business owner or manager, you should never make your employees feel like they can’t take a week off work to relax. You should encourage employees to all take time off to have a holiday during the summer months. Holidays always make employees feel more relaxed and rejuvenated – which is exactly what we all need during the summer months.
6) Set up a charity event:
Summer in the perfect time to get out there and make some money for charity. Set up charity fun-runs with your team, host charity events in the office such as bake sales or coffee mornings. Events like this are great because they help other people, but they also unite your team.
7) Host an all-day office party:
A fun thing to do during the summer months is to host a themed work day. Why not have a flip-flop day, where everyone arrives at work wearing sandals, or a Hawaiian themed day, where everyone wears colourful shirts and shorts. This makes the working day fun and also takes advantage of everyone good mood!
8) Summer after-hours:
Summer is supposed to be full of fun, so why not set up an evening party for your employees? As well as working wonders for your positive company culture, it will help your employees get to know each other and shows them that they are appreciated.
9) Provide food & drinks:
What better way to liven up the office during summer than providing yummy food and drink to keep hunger and thirst at bay for your employees. Fruit, soft drinks, fruit juices and handy snacks are all great for summer!
10) Spring clean:
Sprucing up your office for the summer time is a great way to make the office a nicer place. Make sure there’s lots of natural light and fresh air coming through the office. There’s nothing worse than being trapped in a dark and stuffy office in summer time.
How are you preparing for summer in your office? Do you have any handy tips to share with us?
