Combatting the summer slump

Nebel Crowhurst at Reward Gateway | Edenred explains how employers can best support employees during the summer months

The promise of holidays, sand and sunshine keeps most employees motivated in the run up to summer. Then when the warm weather hits, employees look to jet away leaving the stresses and responsibilities of the workplace behind.

Whilst this well-deserved annual leave is encouraged by HR teams, urging people to take the time to relax and recharge, businesses also need to be aware that for some employees the summer working months can have the opposite effect. 

For many employees, the summer doesn’t always mean a break. In fact, for some it can lead to increased burnout and higher levels of exhaustion. No, this doesn’t come from all the late-night BBQs or more frequent pub garden trips on the weekend - many employees are left feeling over-worked and overwhelmed due to the longer days, change of routine, and additional workplace and homelife responsibilities. 

There are many reasons why some feel under the cosh. Some are working parents juggling childcare responsibilities with their professional ones, whilst other employees may feel swamped with double the workload as their Gen Z counterparts rush off to experience their first Glastonbury festival. The summer working period can feel like a whirlwind of balancing personal commitments with workplace responsibilities to ‘keep things afloat’ when employees are out of office. 

With this in mind, let’s explore how employers can spot the warning signs of seasonal burnout and better support their people during the summer working months. 

Distinguishing the sunburnt from the burnt-out 

By now, most of us are familiar with the term “seasonal depression” which is often used to describe the sense of sadness many people feel during the winter months. Despite this phrase being commonly associated with the winter blues, it can also be used in the warmer months, where the hotter weather not only leaves employees feeling sluggish but increased workplace responsibilities send workers into a summer slump. 

To help employees combat this slump, businesses need to be aware of the warning signs and keep a close eye on employees, in particular those who are left behind when employees get away and are burdened with an increased workload and pressure to cover for those on holiday.

Managing your own workload can be tricky enough, but juggling multiple workloads during the summer period can be overwhelming and cause staff to quickly spiral into burnout if the right support and resourcing isn’t in place. 

Additionally, businesses need to be mindful of working parents, who during the summer period often balance childcare responsibilities with managing their workload. With children off school and the days staying lighter for longer, employee schedules can be disrupted by playdates, occupying children and keeping them busy during the working day – hindering workplace productivity and contributing to workplace fatigue. 

On top of the busier days, working parents also have the added stress of finding adequate childcare. With the cost-of-living crisis placing increased pressures on the shoulders of families, many parents who might have in the past had one parents stay at home can no longer do so.

Take this into account with staff who also suffer with underlying health issues that can be exacerbated by the heat and you have a perfect storm for seasonal burnout. 

Understanding what summer means

However, before businesses start deploying benefit schemes that make the summer period easier for employees, they need to understand their employee pool – not every employee is a working parent or career - some employees have other priorities that should still be taken into account. 

From Gen Zs wanting to experience their first holiday away with friends, to older workers who may be struggling with summer fatigue because of the heat and warmer weather, employers need a holistic overview of what summer means for the different generations and the effects it can have on their mental health. 

Gen Z employees might benefit from flexible work schedules, working earlier in the day to finish sooner to meet friends and socialise in the evenings, whilst older workers in more frontline jobs may value the option to work from home where it is cooler, and have the opportunity to wear comfortable clothes to cope with the heat.

Only by understanding the needs of the people in your business can companies start to tailor benefits that best support the needs of employees during the summer period. 

Making the summer season easier

One of the ways employers can cater to the needs of their staff during the summer months is by giving employees the chance to work within reduced or flexible summer hours. These types of schemes give workers the chance to finish early or start the day later if they have conflicting commitments, such as taking care of children. 

Days such as ‘half day Fridays’ can provide staff with increased flexibility to manage being a parent with their workload and can go a long way in reducing work-related stress without harming productivity. Encouraging staff to log off early and enjoy the warm weather now and again can do wonders for staff productivity, boosting serotonin levels and allowing staff to come back to work feeling rested and appreciated by their employer.

By providing staff with this flexibility, employers are not only sending a message that they trust their staff, but also that they appreciate their work-life balance – this can go a long way in boosting morale and employee well-being. 

For working parents, employers can go one step further and offer childcare benefits such as childcare vouchers. Having a Childcare Voucher scheme in place is a great way to put more money in the pocket for the parents who are working in your company. Childcare Vouchers can be used to pay for childcare and can save parents up to £2,000 per child up to the age of 12 years old.

Employers can also look to connect employees to childcare facilities, whether that’s childminders or summer camps. This takes the burden of finding those services off the shoulders of employees and can go a long way to supporting employee wellbeing and showing care for your people outside of the workplace.

Meaningful appreciation goes a long way

Employers need to appreciate that each individual employee has a life outside of the four walls of the workplace (or more recently the four corners of a zoom screen). And a great way for employers to support their people during this time is to actively listen and ensure the initiatives they provide align with the wants and needs of their staff.

Businesses need to communicate the support available to ensure every employee feels heard and valued as a person outside of their job title. When employees are less stressed about managing other people’s workloads, looking after children and coping with schedule changes, they can focus on their work and their wellbeing.

And, finally, businesses also need to appreciate employees’ downtime. In today’s digital age we operate in an “always on” culture, where we are constantly connected via emails, Teams, Zoom and even on the phone. When employees step away from the workplace, businesses must respect this is their time to re-charge, so, when possible, avoid contacting staff during their summer holidays and encourage employees to switch off from the responsibilities of work to come back refreshed and motivated to work. 

With the summer quickly approaching, businesses would be wise to take a closer look and re-evaluate the benefits they offer their people to support them during the summer season.

By providing staff with benefits that make them feel supported in both their personal and professional lives not only are you looking at a more positive and productive workforce, but you are appreciating your people – this is key in retaining top talent in today’s changing employment landscape. 

Nebel Crowhurst is Chief Appreciation Officer at Reward Gateway | Edenred

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com and Nadzeya Haroshka