Summer, and a warm climate in general, has a reputation for creating a distracted and disengaged workforce. The weather is nice and everyone working inside feels stuck. But this doesn’t have to be the case – instead harness the energy and rejuvenation that comes with summer by leveraging special summer engagement activities.
At ProHabits we look for every occasion to find sources of engagement for employees and we’ve found that summer is the perfect time for engaging activities.
Here’s five great summer engagement activities that we utilize at ProHabits that you can share with your team:
Liven Up the Workplace
Summer is a great time to rearrange the office and bring in a fresh perspective for the team. The changes don’t have to be big to be helpful – they just need to be noticeable. Shaking things up and changing pace every once in a while is a great way for everyone to stay on their toes.
This could be as simple as moving people to different desks to interact with different members of the team. Or it could be as elaborate as bringing more color and vibrance into the workspace. Regardless of what you decide on, switching up the physical environment of the office is a great way to create a more energized and engaged team.
Get Some Sun
Don’t let the nice weather, and the energy that come with it, go to waste! Schedule a meeting or two outside to harness it. But don’t limit yourself to just meetings – plan to have engagement activities outside to really energize your team.
At ProHabits, we regularly step outside to take a call, have a meeting, and even just to take a brief walk to clear our minds. Far from being a distraction, regularly getting out of the office for fresh air is proves to be a great way to recalibrate your focus.
Bring in Natural Light
You don’t always need to go outside to get some sun – open up the windows for fresh air and natural light – too much fluorescent light is a headache. Let the sun in! This will help your team feel more awake and alert while avoiding a mundane atmosphere.
All winter you have to depend on fluorescent lighting in your office – take the chance to give it a break.
Have a Team Outing
If you don’t already have regular team outings, summer is a great time to start the tradition. Plan for an outdoor team game day to strengthen team bonds and team communication.
These activities don’t need to be much – it could be a simple game of bag toss or an oversized game of chess. These games promote team problem solving and illuminate potential team leaders that might not have otherwise recognized the capacity.
Encourage Casual Summer Days
Often thick and darker colored – a lot of professional clothing is best suited for the colder months. Schedule more days for casual, but summer specific, attire. Encourage lots of color!
The office will feel more vibrant and your team will feel more energized to meet the day’s challenges.
