Summer hours often come in the form of Fridays afternoons off and the programs have become increasingly popular as many organizations are trying to find new ways to boost employee engagement and promote a better work-life balance. Although summertime can still be a busy time of year for many organizations, it is important that employees take time to relax, recharge their batteries, and enjoy some of the beautiful summer weather.
At Blu Ivy Group, we implemented a Summer Fridays program. How does it work? Well every Friday at noon, our employees sign off the computer. All of our clients were provided with notice of this program in June assuring them that it would not impact their deliverables or meetings. The program is in effect from July 1st until September 1st. This Summer Fridays program has allowed our employees to enjoy sites of their hometowns that they might not have had the chance to see, spend quality time with their kids and families, and leave early for the cottage to enjoy some Friday afternoon sun.
So you might be thinking how are Summer Hours beneficial to my company and employees? Here are a couple of reasons why:
1) Shows employees that organizations care about them
Providing employees with an opportunity to focus on their work-life balance is a great way to show them that their time is valued both in the office and out of the office and it is a powerful retention factor.
2) Helps to boost employee engagement and productivity
By implementing a program that allows employees to work either a shorter work day on Fridays, Fridays off or allowing flexibility with scheduling, you are providing employees with the ability to work during their peak times when they are most productive. This in turn can result in greater engagement and productivity levels.
3) Helps to prevent burn-out
It has become a trend that the amount of unused vacation has been growing over the past years. Many employees are opting to forgo some of their vacation time during the year and this is resulting in burn-out for many individuals. Forcing employees to take some time for themselves and families can help to manage this burn-out by helping to lower stress levels.
4) Employees appreciate them and word spreads
People love to share good news or benefits that their companies provide and your top talent often hangs out with prospective candidates. By offering a program like this for the summer, you enjoy the benefits of happier and more productive employees while setting yourself apart from other employers and providing a memorable benefit that builds your employee value proposition.
Does your organization have any sort of Summer Fridays program in place? Share with us below and let us know how it is has impacted your organization and employees.
About Blu Ivy Group
Blu Ivy Group is a leading employer branding and employee engagement consultancy that aligns your organization with contemporary workplace paradigms. Blu Ivy Group’s mission is to help client’s build award-winning people practices, inspire extraordinary employee engagement, and cultivate unique and desirable workplaces.
We provide integrated solutions in employer brand and engagement research, strategic consulting, employer brand integration, creative and talent communications. Blu Ivy Group is a trusted partner to many of North America’s most respected employer brands. For more information, go to www.bluivygroup.com