Whether it’s summertime or holiday season, every team goes through slow periods during the year. According to a
Captive Office Pulse study, workplace productivity can drop up to 20% and projects can take up to 13% longer to complete during slow seasons.
But even if your workloads come to a lull, you can still keep your team busy and productive. Here are a few ideas to inspire your team.
1. Tidy up your space
The slower periods are the perfect time to declutter and organize! A messy desk can be distracting and undermine your persistence in completing a task. A clean workspace will mean less time looking for that report left underneath a pile of papers and an increased focus on the job at hand. As the age-old saying goes, “A clean home is a happy home.” A clean office will lead to a happier workforce and better morale.
2. Experiment with new marketing channels
Use your extra bandwidth to test a newer marketing channel with your team. Explore how increasingly popular mediums – such as live video content or Instagram Stories – could work with your team and for your business. Encourage your team members to think outside the box and experiment with new options and technology. You could even end up discovering a more engaging marketing strategy in the process!
3. Offer seasonal perks
If it’s really slow, you can offer flexible hours or work-from-home to employees. For instance, you could temporarily change your hours of operation to give employees shorter work days on Fridays.
Sometimes all your team needs is a little extra time to recharge and reboot over the weekend. Seasonal perks provide a better work-life balance and a boost in morale when client traffic is slow.
4. Take time to reflect
It’s important to take some time every year to review recent accomplishments or things that didn’t go well. Encouraging open communication and reflection will improve outlooks for future tasks. Reflection can sound simple and silly; however, the process allows teams to recognize their mistakes and hear different perspectives.
Allowing time to regroup and give feedback is a great organizational tactic that will help your team work better on similar projects in the future, too.
5. Schedule Seasonal Events
While it’s important to meet deadlines and finish work, it’s also important to for your team to bond and stay positively engaged. Take breaks during the week to allow employees to relax and talk about life outside of work. Plan an ice cream social or a cookout for the summer slump and an office potluck during the holiday season. These events will embrace the season, increase positive spirits, and encourage your team to work hard throughout the year.
Every business has different needs, but every team can take advantage of their slow seasons. Whether you decide to test new options for the future or look toward the past for reflection, this time can be very fruitful for your workforce. If spent right, any slump can be productive and engaging for your team.
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