Improve employee engagement this August Bank Holiday 2021
Improve employee engagement this August Bank Holiday 2021.
The August Bank Holiday is a weekend to look forward to for most. But for those working in the services industries who don’t get the weekend off it can be pretty miserable. It can leave them feeling demotivated as they watch happy customers enjoy the benefits of retail therapy, bright sunshine, blue skies, weekends away and good food. All whilst they’re stuck inside working their daily shift.
Obviously, you’re not going to be able to beat chilling on the beach with a cold beverage, but you can do a few things that will keep them more engaged and happy at work. Here are our top 10 suggestions to improve employee engagement this August Bank Holiday 2021.
Loosen up the dress code
Nothing is worse than going to work in the boiling heat and having to wear a long sleeve top or trousers. Where it’s possible, modify your team’s uniform to make it a little cooler for them. If you are a retailer in London get in the Spirit of Notting Hill Carnival and allow your team to come in carnival fancy dress to keep their engagement alive. Your customers will love your enthusiasm to get involved too. You could even have themed days like Hawaiian shirt Friday.
If you decide on carnival fancy dress or themed days, have a competition for the best dressed
Nothing boosts employee engagement more than a bit of healthy competition. Award the best-dressed employee a prize that they can enjoy outside in the sunshine when they do have some time off. Perhaps a voucher for the local ice cream shop, drinks for two at a local beer garden or a supermarket voucher so they can get a picnic to enjoy with a friend or family member.
Create networking groups for employees to share their summer hobbies
When your employees work unsociable hours it can be more difficult for them to spend time with their friends and families doing things that they love in the summer months. Why not create forums where employees can chat or networking groups where employees can meet up to find other colleagues who share their interests. Perhaps they love surfing, 2 for 1 happy hour, swimming in the sea or cycling, the list could go on. Make it your job to facilitate events where everyone can join in and have fun when they aren’t working on the bank holiday weekend.
Let them know you appreciate their hard work
This one sounds obvious, but it really is so important to tell your employees that you appreciate their work. Firstly because it will boost their mood, and this will work wonders for your customer service. Customers want happy employees after all, not miserable ones. Secondly, it makes them feel valued and recognised. This is a key driver for making them more productive and motivated at work. This is especially important during the August bank holiday when your footfall increases and you need to speed up your service to keep up with customer demand.
Organise after-work drinks
After a long, stressful and boiling hot day give your staff something to look forward to. Whilst the evenings are light and everyone’s in a good mood organise some after-work drinks in a nice outdoor space. It will reduce their fear of missing out and give them a time to relax and unwind. We’re sure they’ll need it after the bank holiday madness.
Give each of them a 5-minute fresh air break
Yes still give them their lunch break, but when it’s quiet why not let each of them go for a quick 5-minute fresh air break. Not only will this help them come back with a fresh mind, but it will also energise them and make them feel less trapped.
Turn their sales or tasks into a game where they can win a ‘cool treat’
Get your staff to have a bit of fun with their work. You could set mini targets such as:
The first one to make 6 sales wins an ice cream.
The first person to answer 10 calls gets an ice-cold drink of their choice.
First-person to sell 5 items from your new stock line gets an extra 10 minutes for their lunch break.
Anything which you can turn into a competition works well to inject a bit of fun into their day.
