Summer is a busy time of the year. School is over for the kids, and the warm weather makes them much more inviting to get out of the house. For these and many other reasons, businesses call the summer months the busiest time of the year, with a few exceptions around the Christmas period.
Business owners and managers have a lot to prepare for as the middle of the calendar approaches. More products need to be prepared, marketing campaigns need to be phased out, and maybe even store opening hours have to be changed. The more preparation that can be done, the greater the chance that the summer season will be successful.
Your team is an integral part of your business and is directly related to its performance. This article will offer some ideas to help you get your team ready for the summer and ways your team can help with final preparations:
Check your operations for efficiency
Your system may be running at full capacity right now, but daylight saving time is completely different. If you expect your business to get a lot busier in the coming months, your operations may need tweaking just in case.
Make a checklist that includes all aspects of your daily business activities. Take a look at payroll, shift shifts, the supply chain, and anything else that you think could potentially lead to embarrassment. Fix any deficiencies you find before they really start to cause problems.
Once you increase your efficiency, the summer season will become much easier. Moreover, you will have an improved system that will be useful throughout the year. Always looking for ways increase your efficiency.
Start adapting early
Some companies are considering hiring new employees or temporary assistance to deal with the summer craziness. This cannot be done in mid-July. Start onboarding too late this season and you’ll be dealing with the chaos of a growing influx of clients while still trying to deliver quality training.
Give new employees at least a couple of weeks to acclimatize before bringing them on to the team. Let them familiarize themselves with company policies, product locations, on-site technical equipment, or anything else they need to know without supervision. So they can really come in handy during busy summers instead of another variable to monitor.
In addition to your onboarding, existing employees may also receive additional training. Make sure they are all aware of any changes you want to make or challenges you expect to encounter. The better you equip your team, the more successful your summer will be.
Clean and organize now
Another thing you should do before summer comes is to do some housework. Use all the time you have right now to complete those heaps of menial tasks that you’ve been putting off for a while. Although they may seem insignificant now, they will be incredibly annoying in the midst of the busy summer season.
Let’s say your file system hasn’t been organized for a long time. You might be doing great right now, but what about when you’re trying to get dozens of new customers lined up outside the door for a summer offer? You will be kicking yourself for not doing it sooner.
This endeavor includes some old-fashioned spring cleaning. In the summer turmoil, finding time to sweep the floors and tidy up the reception area will be much more difficult. A good deep cleaning will make cleaning less frequent so that these places can last until you can catch your breath.
Plan ahead
While summer is a busy time for businesses, it’s also a busy time for families for a variety of reasons. Many people plan their holidays, family reunions and other activities for this time of the year. Because of this, you will have employees who will ask for time off, which can cause some commotion. In most cases, you’ll be better off if you try to schedule things like employee vacations as early as possible.
Most major trips and events are not planned at the last second. Your team should have a general idea of what dates they need to take vacations. Talk to everyone individually so that the work schedule can be set as early as possible. This way, you won’t have to worry about staff shortages during the critical days of the season, or that you’ll have to turn down certain requests in order to make
There are other things you can plan ahead of time. If you plan to hold meetings, set dates as soon as possible. Preparing for a last-minute meeting can be a major headache with everything you have to offer during the summer.
Find a way to compromise
You will be handling a lot of requests from employees, not just asking for a vacation. You can spend all your time arguing with them about the details, or you can step back and listen to their plight. The ability to compromise is an important leadership skill and can help you get through a lot of difficult situations.
Let’s talk a little about remote work. You may not have considered this option for your business before. Perhaps one of your employees offers to work at home during the summer so they can work during the long summer break. Who will respond to a similar request or an option that you have never encountered before?
Instead of dismissing the idea outright, consider the benefits of doing so. This employee can work from a desk and can easily take their work on the road. Give them a test run and you’ll see that they’re equally productive even when they’re out of the office.
Add Some Incentives
To be honest, it’s hard to stay motivated in the high season. Working hours seem longer and more tiring, and the loss of motivation leads to a serious drop in productivity. During this period, you will most likely need to increase the morale of your team.
Try setting up some promotions for your team members. These could be sales targets, rewards for being on time, or even a raffle based on the number of hours worked per week. This gives your team the ability to work when there is no light at the end of the tunnel. They are more likely to answer an extra call, fill an extra order, or fill a vacant shift.
Make sure you include everyone in your organization. Group incentives are useful for getting everyone involved, not just a select few. The promise of a future corporate event full of treats and prizes is enough to inspire any team. Don’t be afraid to be too generous after all their hard work.
Summer will not be easy, but it can be a productive and rewarding time of the year for your business. Start preparing with your team right now to usher in a busy season so you can learn and grow rather than sit back.
Featured Image Credit: Photo by Markus Liste; Pexels; Thank you!
Fast Preparing your team for a productive summer appeared first on Calendar.