Summertime Workplace Doldrums: How to Keep Employees Motivated

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the scent of barbecue is in the air. It's summer in Florida, and unlike the kids who've been temporarily liberated from their version of a nine-to-five-school, the grown ups of the world must continue with their regular workaday lives in spite of the siren call of this most tempting of seasons. Work can feel more tedious than usual during the summertime. Even those who sincerely love their jobs would readily trade a day at work for a day by the pool.

As a business owner, you may be hard pressed for truly engaged, motivated employees during these months. One worker may gaze longingly out the nearest window while another goofs off on the Internet planning the tropical vacation she has not even requested time off for. What's a boss to do during the long stretch from June to September? How can you keep employees on task and your business afloat?

Here are some handy tips for beating the summertime workplace blahs:

• Set a different, fun tone. Even though work must go on, it's helpful to acknowledge that it is, after all, summer, and the vibe at work will to some degree reflect that. Open the windows, play some different music, and bring in refreshing snacks and beverages every Friday. Doing so will help keep workers upbeat and effective.
• Host bi-monthly, summery activities for your employees like picnics, ball games, or beach parties. These gestures will help associate work with good times, and send the message that work isn't all drudgery in the summertime.
• Offer work-from-home options if telecommuting is an option at your business. Allow each employee one work-from-home day per week. Rotate work-from-home days throughout the summer so everyone gets a chance to work from home on a Friday and enjoy the illusion of a three-day weekend.
• Reward high-performing employees with comp time in the summer. The prospect of earning some paid time off may work wonders in terms of motivating otherwise sluggish workers.
• Switch to summer hours. Some businesses can get away with changing their hours in the summertime if these months tend to be slower. Changes needn't be drastic. Simply opening a bit later on Mondays and closing a bit earlier on Fridays can keep employee morale up; they'll enjoy the sense of a stretched-out weekend.
• Have meetings outdoors. Set up a comfortable outdoor space adjacent to your business-perhaps an umbrella-shaded picnic bench. Move meetings outside where employees can soak in the warmth and fresh air of a summer's day. This will lift their spirits and give them a boost of energy that may translate to increased productivity.

Don't be afraid to get creative, think outside the box, and change things up a bit this summer. Doing so will save you from having to fire your employees; instead, it will keep them fired up!

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