I came to my friends on IG the other day chatting about how my management agency, Lola + Ivy, institutes Summer Fridays for their employees and talking through the benefits and why companies participate. Funny enough, the ad agency I worked for in NYC did the exact same thing years ago and I was pleasantly surprised to see it as a topic of conversation… so much so that I am going to be doing the exact same thing for myself AND my assistant starting NOW!
What is Summer Fridays?
To keep it simple, it’s a workplace perk that allows employees to leave early [or take the entire day off] on Fridays from Memorial Day to Labor Day or days they designate throughout the summer months. Some companies provide this as extra PTO, while others require their staff to make up the lost hours on other days earlier in the work week. I know as a business owner it can seem like a big change, so I’m putting pen to paper on some ideas on how you can utilize this, BUT also keep productivity up as well:
Half Day Fridays | Take the afternoon off after lunch… be sure to put that OOO email response on so everyone knows you’re just checking out early!
Compressed Workweek | Have employees work slightly longer hours Monday through Thursday so they can take Fridays off. [Another option would be to take 30 minutes for lunch instead of an hour which should make up for that time off.]
Every Other Friday Off | If you can’t make it happen weekly, try a twice a month adjustment so you can benefit but it doesn’t feel like you’re away from your business as much as every single week.
What is the Benefit?
Obviously it’s a big change, but honestly there are a ton of benefits to trying something like this at your company or asking your boss to consider it where you work, too:
Boosts Morale and Corporate Culture | Honestly… I think this is a HUGE perk! It helps show those you work with that you value their time and commitment, but that you also realize life is short = to me it’s a “work hard, play hard” mindset where everyone wins. You want positive people working with you so a little extra time off during the slower summer months is a GREAT thing! It’s been shown to be a huge selling point for people looking at new jobs as well.
Enjoy Some Extra Time Off | Let’s think of all the pros! It gives everyone time to enjoy the nice, warm summer weather = that’s an obvious one. But it also allows us extra time to spend with friends and family, run errands that otherwise have to wait until after work AND the biggest one of all = it allows people to take a long weekend getaway!! Plenty of reasons to say YES if you ask me.
Reduces Burnout | If you’re like me, this is the time of year I start experiencing major fatigue = we’ve gotten to the middle of the year and we’ve been busting it at all things work. Sometimes a little reprieve is just what the doctor ordered and provides downtime = which in turn has been shown to increase productivity and focus. For me, I need time to allow myself to rest because I am horrible about it, so building this into my schedule is super important!
In the line of work that I do, I’ll be upfront when I say that my work-life balance hasn’t been great as of late. My work hours bleed into my evenings, weekends and more so anytime I can step back a bit it’s a HUGE positive = case in point, we are headed to our dance nationals later this month and I intend on actually checking out to ENJOY the time away because that’s why I work so hard = to be able to enjoy the fruits of our labor!! So, cheers to trying something new this summer and seeing how closing the laptop a bit early on Fridays can benefit my work, personal and social life!
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