Why Your Company Needs a Summer Hours Program

Maximizing productivity during the summer months can be difficult, especially on those warm and sunny days when employees would rather be outside enjoying the weather and spending time with family and friends. Many employees will plan and take vacations between June and September which requires others to step in and share the workload. Keeping employees motivated and productive through all of this can be challenging, so many companies have identified ways to beat the summer heat such as casual dress and summer hours.

Many employers have found that offering a summer hours program actually increases productivity and employee morale. Although it takes a little extra work for scheduling, it can be a huge motivator for workers. For example, some employers will allow employees to work additional time (such as start the day a half hour earlier or end the day a half hour later) during the week to earn half a day off per week or accumulate and take a full day off every other week. Other employers allow for a condensed workweek so that employees are allowed a 4-day week (such as working four 10-hour shifts instead of five 8-hour shifts). The trick is to ensure adequate coverage to keep the business running and effectively manage the workload within the team or department.

In some cases, office hours can actually be changed for the summer months to close at noon on Fridays, or at least on the Fridays before a long weekend. Depending on your location, weekend travel can cause havoc on the roads making it a brutal commute home on the Friday before a long weekend. Many employers allow employees to work from home, where feasible, or allow employees to leave early on the Friday before a long weekend to save them from that frustration. Other companies will encourage employees to leave at noon or take the entire day off with pay as an incentive for working hard through the summer months. In anticipation of the extended long weekend, most employees will work harder at the beginning of the week to ensure that critical work is completed before the weekend approaches.

Flex time benefits, such as the summer hours program:

• Increases the ability to attract and retain employees;
• Motivates employees to work hard during the summer;
• Reduces the number of unplanned absences;
• Helps employees to better manage work and personal responsibilities;
• Increases job satisfaction; and
• Reduces stress.

Action Plan

Make use of some of the "best practices" that other organizations have implemented by following the action plan below:

1. Survey Your Employees – Survey your employees to determine what incentives they would enjoy during the summer. If, for example, you offer a summer hours program and most employees cannot take advantage of it, there will be little benefit. Getting your employees involved in designing the program, through survey results or employee feedback, can boost the usage of the program and engage employees through the summer months. This is a cost-effective way to provide a valued employee benefit to allow workers to get a jump-start on the weekend or spend a little more time with family and friends. 
2. Implement a "Summer Hours" Policy – Develop a policy to implement any changes such as summer hours or flexible work options. The policy should outline who is eligible, what options are available, when the summer hours program comes into effect (such as June 1-September 1), how employees can obtain approval (if needed) and explain the purpose of the policy. It should be clearly stated that this policy is being implemented to reward employees for their hard work, however, work must still be completed and deadlines adhered to. 
3. Establish Application Procedures – If there are different options available for the summer hours program, such as working a condensed workweek or adding an extra half hour to the workday to accumulate and take a day off, require that employees complete an application form and review it with their supervisor to agree on a plan that works for their particular position/department. A systematic approach should be taken so that supervisors know when employees are expected to work and when they will take any accumulated time. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to manage staffing.
4. Monitor the Program – Monitor the program to ensure that the plan is being followed – there is no sense in implementing summer hours if time is not permitted for employees to leave as planned. Some supervisors will cringe when employees approach them to discuss special schedules. If employees are afraid to ask to take advantage of such programs, or get discouraged by their supervisor's reaction, they will not see a value in this employee benefit. This could lead to an increase in unplanned absences throughout the summer months, which would be even worse than working around planned schedules.
5. Evaluate the Program – At the end of the summer, evaluate the program to see how it can be improved for future years. Like any other policy or program, it needs to be evaluated periodically to ensure that it is meeting the desired results.

Final Thought

There is little or no expense to the employer for setting up a summer hours plan, as the number of work hours generally remains the same. However, work/life balance is a very valued perk for most employees. Effectively managing the workload, while allowing employees to take a much needed rest, can maintain productivity through the summer months, as well as increase employee morale and loyalty. However, it is important to follow through with the plan, whatever that may be, and ensure that employees are benefiting as intended. If you suggest a "summer hours" program but employees can't find time to get away, the result will be worse than if you didn't offer a program at all.