Summer has always been associated with fun and positivity. Something about the warm weather and the sun shining just makes people happy. So why not get caught up in the movement and spread some more joy to your employees this season? Of course, you don’t want to drain your expense account either – so here are some inexpensive ways to make your employees happier this summer:
Frozen Treats
Unless they have extremely sensitive teeth, I’m sure you can brighten most of your employees’ days with a snack break – and what better for a summer snack than a popsicle, ice cream, or froyo? There are services that you can hire to bring an ice cream truck or popsicle cart to your office, or if you’ve got a freezer in the office, it’s also easy to just run to the store and pick up a few boxes. Getting your employees to break away from their desks for 20 minutes one afternoon and enjoy a treat with their coworkers is an easy way to make employees happier.
Encourage Walking Breaks
It’s easy to stay inside when the weather is gloomy, but now that it’s nice out, encourage your employees to go out for a walk! A study reported on by The New York Times found that “When the workers rose most often, they reported greater happiness, less fatigue and considerably less craving for food.” These are all good things! Try leading by example. Get outside for a walk for at least ten minutes a day and not only will your employees feel great about doing it, you will too.
Half-Day Fridays
Here at McQuaig, we have this wonderful summer policy that allows each employee to get four free half-day Fridays. This allows us to beat the traffic when we’re heading out of town, or simply to get home and start the weekend early with a little extra time in the sun. Whether you copy that idea or implement some type of flexible workweek so employees can make up time on other days, those who take advantage will really appreciate it.
Teambuilding
Taking another note from our own company, this season is when we do our corporate retreat. We go off-site, talk about business objectives, and then concentrate on some teambuilding. But teambuilding doesn’t have to be done off-site, and it doesn’t have to be pricey. There are many activities you can run from the comfort of your own office, and they can be as long or as short as you want. Try this 3-step activity from our blog or do a quick search online. It’s easy to make employees happier when work is fun – and this is a great way to do it!
Summer School
For many businesses, summer is a time when things tend to slow down a bit. Although summer school may not have appealed to you as a kid, adults usually welcome the opportunity to learn and develop their skills. Why not offer a summer series of lectures or webinars hosted by different specialists in your company? When work is less busy, educational sessions can have more impact, since the distractions of work aren’t as prevalent.
Does your company do something special to make employees happier over the summer? Let us know in the comments – we’d love to hear what your teams have dreamed up!