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How To Overcome a Lack of Employee Focus in the Summer Months

June 15th, 2017

Summer – time for good weather, barbecues, and vacations. And sometimes, all that fun can make it hard for employees to focus during work hours. How can you overcome this lack of focus throughout the summer months?

Be Careful With Monetary Rewards & Other Incentives

Incentive programs can be great motivators, but only if done right. A poorly thought-out incentive program can be manipulated and may end up being counterproductive. A recent, but now-infamous example is that of Wells Fargo’s demanding sales goals, which ended up driving employees to create over 1.5 million fake accounts. The bank was ordered to pay $185 million in fines (Source: Forbes). While your local office will probably not do that much damage, regardless of the incentive plan, it pays to think about how such an incentive may encourage bad behavior.

Encourage Vacations

Yes, encourage your employees to take some time off this summer! It’s unfortunate, but some companies have created “vacation black-out” periods where employees are not allowed to request time off. This is usually done in fear of having too many employees out of the office during a busy season. But taking some time off can actually help your employees to be more productive and focused at work!

Give Employees Something to Look Forward To

Dopamine, the neurotransmitter that (in part) plays a role in motivation and focus, is released when we anticipate something good. Planning an office party or fun team-building event can give your employees an extra “shot” of dopamine, which may help kick them out of a mid-summer slump.

Engage Employees All Year Long

Whatever the season, the best way to keep employees motivated at work is to keep them engaged. Engagement at work means your employees feel a sense of loyalty, belonging and value. So strive to be the best manager you can be, and keep your employees engaged through communication, commendation, and empowerment.

If you’re in need of extra help at the office this summer, consider utilizing Staffing Resources for the best Temp Services in Atlanta! And be sure to follow our blog for ongoing tips and resources to make the most of your team.

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