BY AMY COOLEY
Longer days, warmer temperatures, schools closed, and beaches calling—the summer season brings about a unique set of challenges and opportunities for maintaining employee engagement in the workplace. With vacations, outdoor activities, and a general sense of relaxation in the air, you might need to find some creative ways to keep your team motivated and productive during this time, especially when summer brings weddings, lots of airport transfers for vacationers, and a busier overall schedule. Here, we will explore some effective strategies that can help foster employee engagement and create a positive work environment throughout the summer months.
Flexible Schedules and Remote Work
One of the most significant advantages of the summer season is the ability to enjoy the great outdoors. Team members might appreciate occasional opportunities to work remotely, or on a more flexible schedule during this time, especially if they have younger kids at home. While some roles in your operation won’t lend themselves to remote work, there may be some that could—a skilled dispatcher or reservationist may be able to work effectively as long as they have access to your software applications including a good visual on your dispatch grid.
Similarly, offering some more creative and flexible scheduling options can go a long way during the summer months. Allowing team members to adjust their working hours—perhaps splitting up shifts or switching up days off—can foster a sense of trust and autonomy. This flexibility not only helps employees balance their personal and professional lives but also allows them to take advantage of the longer days and pleasant weather.
Embrace Team-Building Activities
Summer also presents an ideal opportunity to organize team-building activities that promote camaraderie and collaboration. Outdoor activities such as sports tournaments, picnics, or volunteer events can help your team bond with each other outside of the usual work routine. Team-building activities can improve relationships while enhancing communication and teamwork skills. Encouraging employees to interact and connect with each other in a relaxed and fun environment can contribute to a positive workplace culture of engagement and productivity. Just be mindful of your employees who are sensitive to extreme heat or allergies if you're taking it outside.
Don’t forget to post company events on your social media—your employees can feel a sense of pride in the company they work for, and your clients will feel like they know you better. And when you share your team getting together for charitable and community events, you communicate your values to your followers.
Recognize and Reward Achievements
Recognizing and rewarding employees for their hard work and accomplishments is a powerful way to boost engagement and motivation. During the summer season, you might implement incentive programs that are specifically tailored to the unique needs of this time of year. For example, setting goals related to productivity or customer satisfaction and offering rewards such as paid time off, gift cards, or summer-themed incentives can help keep the team motivated and engaged.
Summer is also a great time to recognize achievements, and reward longevity. Fleet took care of the tricky air conditioning in your Sprinter? Celebrate! Reservation department booked the entire football season for the high school? Celebrate! Chauffeur team earned three 5-star reviews in a single week? Celebrate! Showing appreciation and recognizing your team makes them feel valued, a key factor for employee engagement.
Continuous Learning and Development
The more relaxed “vibes” of summer can be a good environment for learning, making this a good time to engage in learning and development opportunities. Inside sales training can help your office team up their game. Or you might have a chauffeur or CSR who shows some inclination and might develop into a fantastic dispatcher. The whole team might benefit from some time management resources, or a customer service refresher. Providing avenues for personal and professional growth not only demonstrates a commitment to employee development but also keeps them engaged and motivated. Encouraging employees to expand their knowledge and skills can lead to increased job satisfaction and a sense of progress, ultimately benefiting the whole operation.
Maintaining employee engagement during the summer season requires a creative approach that acknowledges this unique time of year. Embracing flexibility, engaging in team-building activities, recognizing achievements, and offering learning and development opportunities are all opportunities to keep your team motivated and engaged. Remember, a happy and engaged team is not only more productive but also contributes to the overall success of your operation. Happy summer! [CD0723]
Amy Cooley is HR Leader for The LMC Groups. She can be reached at amy@lmcpeople.com.