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At many companies, work slows in the summer and employers encourage workers to take time off to recharge. Which is great when you are the worker who is off. However, it can be a struggle for those who are still working, having to pick up extra tasks. Workload can also increase because of the added time needed to prepare for vacation and the onslaught of work in most people’s inboxes when they return.
According to a recent Dayforce survey by The Harris Poll, workers are feeling stressed, but are also less productive during this time, owing also to nicer weather and more people being on vacation, including the boss. To boost productivity, the report notes most organizations embrace summer flexibility, which can include flexible hours, increased work-from-home options or summer Fridays (for example, finishing work at lunch).
But while summer flexibility is generally positive, experts warn that employers must ensure their policies around vacation and flexibility are equitable and reasonable and not aggravating the burnout of workers forced to take their colleague’s workload.
The survey of nearly 3,000 workers in Canada, the U.S. and U.K. shows 84 per cent of employees agree that summer flex policies help reduce burnout, but many say they can’t always take advantage of them because of workload (30 per cent), no one to cover for them (24 per cent) and negative perceptions from managers or colleagues (23 per cent).
The report also shows more than four in ten (41 per cent) admit they are less productive during the summer months.
Equitable summer policy
Companies with rigid policies around work schedules and an absence of seasonal perks will see a fall in staff productivity, low morale and an uptick in absenteeism, which can include lateness, leaving early or extended lunches, says Olivia Cicchini, a human resource and employment law expert at Peninsula Canada, an HR consultancy firm.
She says a company’s vacation policy should clearly spell out how vacation entitlements are determined, how employees request time off, the timeline for time-off requests, how the company chooses what is approved or denied and any criteria that is taken into consideration when conflicting requests are made (for example, seniority, tenure or first come first served).
Ms. Cicchini says companies can improve productivity during the summer through:
- Flexible work schedules or hybrid/remote work to promote a work-life balance
- Provide incentives (either monetary or non-monetary) for meeting deadlines and goals. This, she says can help ensure a steady workflow during the summer
- Plan summer social events and team-building activities to boost morale and keep employees engaged and motivated
- Proactively address any potential productivity challenges through a supportive and engaging work environment
Parent trap
Working parents experience all of this, but often have the added stress of not having their kids in school. They are either dealing with different camp locations and drop-off and pick-up times or they are taking many of their vacation days for child care reasons. Any working parent knows that this is usually not the kind of vacation where one can recharge.
Summers can easily turn into a logistical and financial nightmare, says Anita Grantham, the head of human resources at BambooHR, and a working parent.
Ms. Grantham says dealing with unexpected work issues such as putting together an urgent presentation or proposal with the help of sparse staff while juggling child care duties is a challenge.
In the summer, the frazzled executive’s days are a whirlwind of camp drop-offs and pick-ups, playdates, birthday parties and other activities for her children.
The leaders at BambooHR, a global technology company that provides human resources software, encourage employees to take vacation days during summer, Ms. Grantham says. And with some careful planning and prioritization of work and learning through past failures, her team has been able to deliver uninterrupted customer care.
“While summertime may slow down decision-making and hinder productivity a little bit, I feel it’s our time to recharge so that we can do our best work for the rest of the year,” Ms. Grantham says. “A big problem across North America is that people have to take time off for child care and if you don’t have someone to help you, you have to rely on your vacation days.”
Data gleaned from BambooHR platform show on average 37 per cent of employees in the U.S. make a PTO request every month, with only around half of requests (49 per cent) being approved. The report shows more people want time off but team leaders are okaying less requests because there’s more work to do, Ms. Grantham says.
Supporting parents
Kim Siddall, national vice-president of client strategy at Winnipeg-based People Corporation, which provides human resources, benefits and retirement consulting, says even though there’s a lull in productivity during the summer, employers should be flexible in their approach.
“Some regions [in Canada] experience the summer slump more than the others,” Ms. Siddall said. “In the Prairies for instance, we have a big lake culture. And so, employers are more flexible on how and from where their employees work.”
As summer can be trying for parents who have to arrange child care on a weekly basis, Ms. Siddall says employers should:
- Be open to letting parents manage their work.
Employers should allow for exceptions to typical work hours so that parents can co-ordinate their work needs with child care duties.
- Compile resources and create space for sharing the information
Employers can help source activities for children; create a short guide on how to leverage the Employee Assistance Program [EAP], provide wellness information such as sun safety, things to keep in mind during travel, and more. And allow employees to share their own resources, tips and information from a shared work folder.