How to give your team a break without losing momentum

A lot of offices slow down during the summer, making it the perfect time for employees to take a break. But lazy summer days and dreams of vacation can sometimes be a distraction to those left back in the office.

I’ve found that cracking the whip isn’t an effective way to get the most out of people. If your employees’ minds are wandering, it’s probably a sign that they need a break, not micromanagement. Here are some ways to give your team a break without losing momentum.

Know the facts

Brains need breaks to be productive. Research shows that short rests lead to a boost in productivity. Employees who don’t get a good, refreshing break periodically will see their productivity drop.

Build a culture of balance

When your employees are at work, expect the most from them. But remember that no employee can work at a high level constantly without a break. Most people can handle intense periods of work if they can bank on time to recover before and after. It’s just like working out — the rest days aren’t a sign of laziness; that’s when you actually build muscle.

I’ll be off part of the summer for my maternity leave, so my employees are scheduling time off before and after my leave. That way, they can recover from the extra loads they’ll be managing when I’m off.

Honor time off

When your employees are off, make sure they’re really off. It’s not a break if they are required to check their emails once a day or respond to emergencies. Discourage them from checking in. That way, they’ll be ready to go when they come back.

Cross-train to cover gaps

Cross-train to get the most out of people when they’re working, and to cover for those who aren’t. It will strengthen your business and keep people engaged as they learn new skills. Cross-training also helps ensure you won’t be calling people who are out of the office to ask them to solve a problem.

Make it a team effort

Everyone at my company works together to figure out how to coordinate vacation schedules. We share a Google calendar so everyone can see when people want to be off. If there are conflicts, we work it out together — that’s more effective than me just making a call by myself.

Cut back if you can

Consider whether your workplace can afford to give afternoons off in the summer. If business isn’t coming in the door at 2:30 on a Friday, you can gain more by giving employees the rest of the day off than by keeping them there pretending to work.

Consider challenges at home

Your employees may be dealing with a heavier load than usual outside the office during the summer. They might be juggling child care when school is out or trying to manage kids who are home alone. Their spouse or partner may work in a job that ramps up in the summer, such as construction or transportation, causing issues with schedules. In those cases, look for resources that might help busy families.

Dig deeper

Finally, dropping productivity could be the sign of a deeper problem that just happens to coincide or be more noticeable in the summer. Are your employees bored? Do they need new roles? If they take some time off and come back disengaged, it’s time for a talk about their performance.