How To Refocus Your Team After A Long Summer

Yikes—it’s August already and sadly that points to summer coming to an end. That means the vacations, the cutting out early from work, the pool parties, and long weekend getaways will start to slow down. As these activities decrease, it’s time to refocus at work, and ramp up that productivity again with your team. With a few team-building exercises and (inevitably) more projects, that renewed motivation is a must to keep everyone engaged and at peak performance. Here’s how to refocus your team as summer winds down.

Get Employees Excited

Have some new projects or clients lined up for fall? Share them with your team and get them excited for the new ventures! The best way to get everyone back in action is to create a sense of purpose and mission. These two factors will ignite that spark to drive energy and productivity at the office. If the tasks seem boring, it’ll be harder to adjust after a long, relaxing summer.

Plan A Team Building Event

With so much summer travel, it might seem like employees have seen little of one another and haven’t had much time to collaborate on projects in person. Collaboration and communication are critical when it comes to performance and results, so planning team building exercises can help everyone get back in sync. Maybe it involves adventure, like with escape rooms, or truth-telling, with icebreakers. No matter the activity, it’ll build a deeper connection between the team.

Create A Contest

While team building and collaboration is necessary for a positive work culture, a little competition can be helpful, as well, as it acts as an external motive for giving your best performance possible. Make it an “End To Summer Contest” for who can make the most sales, book the most clients, or secure the best deals and partnerships. Get creative and offer a reward that would be desirable to all.

Schedule Social Outings

It might seem obvious, but it actually isn’t—the last thing employees want is to feel rushed into “work mode” once September hits. Instead, gradually piling on the work and making time for enjoyable ways to unwind and chat about one another’s summer stories can be a great way to get everyone back to working together as a team.

In fact, people are 12% more productive when happy at work, and these types of events can definitely create a smile. So, think bowling, cooking classes, cocktail events: Anything that still feels a little like summer. These social outings can help employees remember how committed they are to one another and the company, at large.

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