It’s no secret that productivity drops off over the summer – as much as 20 percent according to some studies.
There are a number of reasons for this. One of the more obvious causes is the weather. It’s a little harder to focus on your work when the sun is shining outside, and there is blue sky and a lot trees and flowers. It’s easy for your mind to wander, thinking about the things you could be doing instead of sitting at a desk.
The heat and humidity can take a toll.They reduce your energy and slow thinking. You feel sleepy and cannot focus as well. Here are a few things companies can do to ensure their employees are comfortable working during the summer months.
What can you do to improve working conditions?
1. Air conditioning
As an employer, you need to ensure your employees have comfortable working conditions to maintain productivity. One way to do this as warm weather approaches is to survey workers about what temperature they prefer in the building during the summer months. Naturally, what is comfortable for one person is not for another, so compromises will be necessary. But doing the survey will enable you to set the temperature at a setting preferred by the greatest number.
2. Hydration
It is important for workers to get enough fluids, especially during hot weather. Often they cannot, however, because the employer does not provide easy access to water. Employers need to have water coolers or fountains that are easily accessible to everyone in the building.
Managers also should encourage employees to stay hydrated. Not getting enough fluids can cause a lack of focus, fatigue, and irritability, all of which affect productivity.
3. Dress
To help employees beat the heat, you can also offer more flexibility with dress, allowing employees to dress more casually, within specified limits.
4. Other measures to reduce heat
Another thing to keep in mind for dealing with the heat is the positioning of desks. Make sure that you don’t have any desks that are directly in the sunlight. Also, check to make sure there are blinds on all the windows and that they are in good working order.
Hiring?
If your company is looking for top-flight employees, Opti Staffing can help you. We will work closely with you to learn about your company, its culture and its needs, so we can provide you with people who will be a good fit, people who will make an impact and stay with the company. Give us a call today
