It’s the first day of Summer! When the weather turns warm and inviting, the yearning to be outside… throwing footballs, grilling brats, swimming and relaxing… can be intense. (Maybe it’s subconscious conditioning to ‘summer vacation’ during our school years.) And here in the Western New York area, where we know another nasty winter is just a few months away, we especially want to take advantage of our beautiful summers.
Yet there’s still a lot work to do, so we thought we’d offer a few tips for sustaining productivity levels when so much of the world seems to be out doing something fun.
- Make sure all the bases are covered. It can be frustrating to suddenly be hit with handling a co-worker’s duties. Avoid unhappy surprises by posting a shared calendar so personnel know who is covering for whom well ahead of vacation absences. Advance warning also allows the remaining staff to ask the departing employee questions about specific procedures and duties.
- It’s time to give those fun/creative projects some attention. We all know some tasks are more pleasantly engaging than others, and creativity tends to rise with a more relaxed attitude. Why not adjust schedules to quickly get the mundane responsibilities out of the way and focus on those strategic/creative projects that have been languishing on back burners?
- Reconnect with customers. If your business is experiencing a seasonal slow-down, there’s a good chance your business customers may be going through the same thing, and a diversion from their own normal routines may be welcomed. If that’s the case, now might be a good time to build business relationships by soliciting in-depth feedback or asking for testimonials.
- Do some team building and have a little fun. Why not introduce a few internal programs to boost energy and morale during the day? For example, you could have your sales or customer service teams compete for gift cards to go mini-golfing, enjoy movies in the park, or savor alfresco dining. Administrative staff could compete for recognition/rewards for most organized work environments. Or how about something just for fun? Maybe an outdoor ice cream treat, a Frisbee golf expedition, an outing on the lake … go for it!
- Catch up with SynchroNet – With staff and customers away on summer vacations and normal activities at a low ebb, this could be the perfect time to take care of IT-related administrative projects such as: updating standard operating procedures; revising user access lists as necessary; or upgrading systems that are usually very active. (You can always visit the SynchroNet support center to understand which tasks can be quickly resolved through our convenient portal.)
No matter where your summer plans take you, SynchroNet is here to keep you moving forward. From our team to yours, “Happy First Day of Summer!” May your grilled items be delicious, your evenings mosquito free, and your Frisbee passes smooth and level (to the delight of your receivers!).
