Strategies to Keep Employees Engaged All Summer Long

Keeping employees engaged and motivated in the summer can be a big task, during the month between May and August are rough on motivation. As summer gets underway, you may notice a general sickness among the employees. Maybe it is a desire to go outside and enjoy the nice weather or maybe it is relevant to burnout from a stressful winter. Whatever the reason is depression and procrastination are common between May and August.

Here is a list of team building activities you can apply to keep your workforce feeling motivated.

1. Set new goals

A lack of motivation among employees is a major reason in the summer slog. Combat this attitude by kicking off the warm months with some new initiatives and by setting clear team goals. If you have a new strategy to roll out, aim for a May or June start to keep your employees involved. Likewise, when establishing quarterly metrics, you should set clear goals for the summer months so that your workers have a reason to stay committed.

2. New training programs

You should consider new training programs or professional development opportunities for ideas or policies in the summer. When considering the scale of these new initiatives, do not be scared to think small: time is valuable, and micro learning sessions can be just as effective as an all-day training option.   

3. Bring in guest speakers

If one of the themes of summer is to keep the office environment fresh and exciting, consider bringing in some outside help to spice it up. For instance, a guest speaker is an excellent way to motivate your employees and give them with a fresh perspective. There are multiple ways you can take when selecting your guest lecturer. For example, you can bring in a motivational speaker to give a lesson on life, or a professional specialist with insider tips on networking.

4. Offer summer Fridays

It may not be realistic to give your employees a full summer vacation, but the does not mean you cannot provide them with a little reminder of the breaks. You should involve employees to leave the office a little early. And can serve as a reward for a long hard work.

5. Hold team building events

Summer is a great time to host team building events. You should take advantage of the nice weather and find something fun for your employees to do together. Happy hour on the baseball game, patio, or something more exciting like a camping trip are all examples of fun things you can do to bring your employees together for the duration of the summer months.

6. Encourage at work celebrations

When you are not holding team building events outside of the office, you should find ways to make things inside the office a little more lively, which can show that you value your employees. If you cannot afford to offer employees reduced hours, you can at least try to make their summer work schedule a little more exciting. If you have space or corporate campus you can use, consider allowing employees to work outside. If that is not an option, look into alternatives, such as yoga and mindfulness exercises. At the very least, encourage staff members to take a quick break and mentally refresh themselves by walking outside. Even just a few minutes outside can be extremely beneficial for one's mental health.         

Keeping workers engaged can also involve encouraging them to learn on their own. These tips will help you to keep your employee engaged all summer long.