Even though most of us have already begun to enjoy the longer, warmer days; it's officially summer according to the calendar. For those of us who don't live in the warmer areas, we have been waiting for summer especially after the long, cold and brutal winter we had. That's why it is hard to go to work and sit in an office when the sun is shining and it's warm outside. Since we can't just take a three month "vacation" like the kids get from school; we have to find ways to stay focused and motivated in order to continue to be productive. With the warmer, sunny days and all the distractions that come with them, managers may begin to worry about their employee's sustainability and how they will keep going during the summer. From a coaching standpoint, there are some things you can do to keep your employees motivated and help them to increase their sales sustainability:
- Hold Contests. Have employees submit pictures of vacations they’ve been on or entertaining stories and give out awards for things like “Funniest Vacation Picture” or “Most Entertaining Vacation Story.” If you get creative with the contests and the awards, your employees wil too. Not only does this provide entertainment for your employees, but it also encourages your employees to learn about one another on a more personal level which, in turn, builds teamwork.
- Encourage Vacations. While vacations mean that an employee is not at work, a little rest and relaxation won’t hurt an employee’s performance. In fact, employees are more likely to come back refreshed and full of new ideas. When an employee returns from a well-deserved vacation, you will begin to see their work progress and their attitude improve.
- Embrace the Summer. Host a lunch outside, go to summer concerts or festivals, or set up a day when employees can dress in casual summer attire. This gives employees things to look forward to at work.
It is important that your customer service and sales team members are still engaging in high performance work during those lazy days of summer, and if you invest time in your employees and coach them through the summer days, you are going to experience positive results.
What have you done to help keep up your employees' sustainability during the summer?
