Summer… For many, this is the best season of the year. However, as an HR professional, these months can be quite challenging. There are a few common HR "difficulties" that keep coming back every summer. But that’s no more! With our tips, we are going to help you solve these problems once and for all. Let’s go!

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Give flexibility to your employees

Hybrid working is (fortunately) more and more embraced in the new work culture. This gives your employees much more freedom. Especially in summer, this is what your team is longing for. Many employees may be on holiday, but those who do have to work might not be looking forward to  8-hour days at the office. Or … maybe they are, in order to escape their warm apartments in an overheated city. Thank god for office air conditioning. Give your employees the option to schedule their own office hours. From 2 to 6 PM, for example.

With our hybrid work software, you and your team can easily see who is in the office on which days. Convenient, because this way you can plan office visits more efficiently through the app. 

Allow a summer dress code policy

‍When the sun is burning during the summer months, a lot of employees ask themselves:; “what should I wear to the office today?”. When it’s very warm outside, the last thing your employees want is to wear a suit or long sleeves. It’s understandable to have a professional dress code in the office. And this especially if you also have clients visiting your workplace. However, no one said that summer clothes can't be business-like too. 👗 Think of  boat shoes, a neat polo shirt with short sleeves, a beautiful colorful yet airy summer skirt to the knee or business sandals. Give your team the opportunity to dress more summer-proof in warm temperatures. We are sure your employees will thank you for it!

Host fun summer events 

Why only organize fun office events in the winter around the holidays? Summer is also ideal for this! The good weather and temperatures provide you with the perfect opportunity to do more activities and events outdoors with your team. For employees who will continue to work in the summer, it is not always the first reflex to go to the office. But you can help them by organizing something fun. For instance, organizing lunch in the park (picnic style 🙌),  an after work barbecue or drink, a Friday afternoon beach volleyball contest, etc. This is how you can bring a sunny vibe into the workplace! Beautiful memories guaranteed. Don’t forget to take a few quick shots to remember the events. 📷. You send the message to the outside world, including potential future employees,  that your team works hard but you also make time to bond and relax together. This is also a plus for your employer branding strategy and customer-based marketing.

Set a good office temperature

‍It is difficult to determine the perfect  office temperature throughout the year. And this can be all the more tricky in the summer when temperatures rise. Do you struggle when thinking “what’s the right temperature for our employees to enjoy the office?”. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the UK suggests that maintaining a reasonable temperature in the workplace is a must! Yet, “reasonable” is open to an employer’s interpretation.

It’s best to avoid putting your employees in a situation where the office temperature has an impact on their health, either through heat-related illnesses or catching a cold from the AC. The OSHA technical manual recommends maintaining a workplace temperature at around 68-76 degrees Fahrenheit, which would be 20 to 24 degrees Celsius.

Also, make sure to remind your workers of the core 3 rules for the season: water, rest and shade. Provide your staff with enough water, have outdoor lunches in the shade and understand that workers will be a bit less dynamic than usual in very hot weather. 

There are other ways of regulating the office temperature such as providing fans, good blinds that offer shade or providing air-cooling plants!

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That’s a wrap! These are the most common HR challenges encountered during the summer time. Did we perhaps miss one? Let us know!