It’s time to change up the office routine and enjoy some summer-time fun in the workplace!
- Plan activities that take advantage of the summer weather allowing employees to step away from their computers.
- Organize activities personalized to your employees current interests. Keeping in mind not all may want to participate and ensure activities will not create a liability for your company (ie. allowing alcohol).
A good outing engages employees at the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels. Emotional activities help connect employees to their job and your organization’s values. Activities that engage employees on the emotional level give opportunities to get to know your employees on a personal level. Help celebrate work/life balance with mental-level activities that stimulate the mind and spark creativity. The last level to consider for activities is the spiritual level, where employees work together towards a shared responsibility. Fitting activities to consider are:
- Ice cream social
- Lunch out
- End of workday family visit party
- Work walking groups
- Outdoor patio gathering
- Park outing
- Cook-off
- Scavenger hunt
- Company softball/kickball game
- Attend a sporting event
- Break-room games
- Hike
- Boat cruise
- Kayak/Canoe/Tube
- Go-kart race
- 5K race event
- Volunteer at a local school
- Work in a community garden
- Mentor students
The focus of summer activities should be to unite your employees, not make them feel excluded or uncomfortable. While creating and implementing meaningful company experiences is a time investment, it is balanced with the benefits of more productive, engaged, and loyal employees. With preparation and clear policies, you can keep your employees safe, while enjoying special summer perks.