Approaching the half-year mark means two things for HR professionals. One is that you have made it through six months of change and growth in a rapidly shifting business environment. The other is that summertime is almost here, which means employees may be looking to take vacations, spend time with their family and friends, or simply take a break to tend to personal business.
Many employers experience what is known as a “summer slump” in attendance. Data shows that U.S. employees are taking more time off during the summer, with over five million workers using PTO for vacation or personal days in June, July, and August each year.
If you’re wondering how you can go about supporting employees in balancing work and family needs, you may consider implementing options like flexible work hours or locations, child care assistance, or additional paid time off.
For those who need a clear path to build effective policies, here’s how you can ensure that productivity and performance stay high, even when members of your team need a break.
Offering Increased Flexibility During the Summer Months
To avoid work pile-ups and missed deadlines, provide employees with the flexibility they need to take time off while still tending to their work responsibilities. According to Gallup, 52% of employees with remote-capable roles currently work a hybrid schedule. This means that many companies offer telecommuting options to those who need to work from another location at least part of the time.
Consider offering flexible work schedules with adjustable hours or compressed work weeks, as this can help in supporting employees as they manage personal and family responsibilities and schedule personal errands.
Supporting Employees With Young Children
Employees with young children may sometimes struggle with summer work schedules due to schools being out of session. It’s crucial to maintain a supportive environment for parents, as 58% of them have reported leaving work due to an inability to find childcare arrangements to meet their needs. There are a few ways you can help them take care of their family’s needs without worry:
- Childcare Subsidies: Provide direct financial assistance to employees to be used solely for childcare costs at a program of their choice
- Partner With Local Providers: Establish contracts with childcare centers that allow employees to get childcare or services at a discounted rate
- On-Site Childcare: Hire childcare specialists directly to provide services on your campus
- Parental Leave: Allow parents to take scheduled time off to care for their children
Provide parents with as much support as possible in managing workloads before and after parental leave. This can include offering flexible or extended deadlines to help parents ease into their work schedules without feeling overwhelmed.
Making Your Policies Family-Friendly
Before summer is in full swing, review your time off policies and benefits packages to ensure they’re as family-friendly as possible. Some options for supporting employees may include benefits like extended paid or unpaid family leave or additional family care benefits. Also, consider allowing employees to use their PTO for family-related issues, including childcare in the summer.
If your office has a remote work policy, don’t forget to add summer childcare to your eligibility criteria to avoid inadvertent denials from your HR team. Finally, stay up to date with changes in federal and state law, especially in regard to paid time off and family leave.
Building a Culture of Care and Camaraderie
Ultimately, your workplace should foster an organizational culture that respects work-life balance. After all, 78% of Gen Z employees see work-life balance as essential to their definition of career success. When your employees feel that your culture supports their well-being and that of their families, they are more likely to feel satisfied and equipped for high performance.
To build this kind of culture in your organization, consider hosting family-oriented events with child-friendly activities. Not only does this show employees you care, but it can also help them build lasting relationships with other families in your organization, contributing to greater camaraderie at work.
You can also offer resources for stress management, such as access to mental healthcare or mindfulness apps, or an on-campus meditation room.
Ensure that you have a culture of open communication with employees. Encourage them to discuss family needs with the HR team so they can receive personalized support and accommodations as necessary.
Support Employees Year-Round With Effective Workplace Policies
The summer slump doesn’t have to mean a business slowdown for your company. With practices and policies that offer more work-life balance, you can ensure maximum productivity while building a culture of care.
From paid time off to family care benefits, VirgilHR’s automated platform can help you build the right set of effective and compliant policies that align with current federal, state, and local laws. Schedule a demo today to see how easy VirgilHR makes it to manage your risk and create the right environment for employees to do their best work.
Sources:
1. https://time.com/charter/6997981/the-new-pattern-of-work-in-the-summer/
2. https://www.gallup.com/401384/indicator-hybrid-work.aspx
3. https://www.uschamber.com/workforce/understanding-americas-labor-shortage-the-scarce-and-costly-childcare-issue 4. https://joinhandshake.com/docs/network-trends/gen-z-benefits-expectations.pdf
