Feeling the heat – avoiding summer burnout at work

The summer season - what’s supposed to be a time to enjoy the sun, to relax, to take a holiday, can for some be a time of high stress.

The rush to get everything done before your annual leave.

The longer daylight hours disrupting normal routines.

The additional workload covering colleagues away on holiday.

The pressures of keeping the kids entertained in the long six-week school holiday.

They can all combine to create a pressure cooker environment that can lead to one thing – summer burnout.

Feeling the heat - recognising the signs of burnout

Most of us are familiar with the term “seasonal depression” often used to describe the sense of sadness many people feel during the winter months. Whilst traditionally associated with the winter blues, it can also occur in the warmer months.

To help employees combat this slump, businesses need to be aware of the trigger points and warning signs to take action.

Those left behind can become burdened with an increased workload covering for those on holiday. Managing your own workload can be tricky enough, but juggling multiple responsibilities during the summer period can be overwhelming and cause staff to quickly spiral into burnout if the right support and resourcing isn’t in place.

Additionally, businesses need to be mindful of working parents, who during the summer period often balance childcare responsibilities with managing their workload. With children off school and the days staying lighter for longer, employee schedules can be disrupted by playdates, occupying children and keeping them busy during the working day, finding adequate childcare – hindering workplace productivity and contributing to workplace fatigue.

Different generations mean different needs

However, before businesses start deploying benefit schemes that make the summer period easier for employees, they need to understand their employee pool – not every member of staff is a working parent or carer - some employees have other priorities that should still be considered.

From Gen Zs wanting to experience a holiday away with friends, to older workers who may be struggling with summer fatigue because of the heat, employers need a holistic overview of what summer means for the different generations and the effects it can have on their mental health.

Some might benefit from flexible work schedules, working earlier in the day to finish sooner to meet friends and socialise in the evenings, others may value the option to work from home avoiding a sweaty commute.

Only by understanding the needs of the people in the business can companies start to tailor benefits that best support the needs of employees during the summer season.

Implementing schemes that work

One of the ways employers can cater to the needs of their staff during the summer months is by giving employees the chance to work within reduced or flexible summer hours. These types of schemes give workers the chance to finish early or start the day later if they have conflicting commitments, such as taking care of children.

Initiatives such as ‘half day Fridays’ can provide staff with increased flexibility to manage being a parent with their workload and can go a long way in reducing work-related stress without harming productivity. Encouraging staff to log off early and enjoy the warm weather now and again can do wonders for staff productivity, boosting serotonin levels and allowing staff to come back to work feeling rested and appreciated by their employer. By providing staff with this flexibility, employers are not only sending a message that they trust their staff, but also that they appreciate their work-life balance.

Valuing your employees’ lives inside and outside the workplace

Employers must recognise that their people have lives outside the workplace. Actively listening to staff and aligning initiatives with their needs ensures that every employee feels heard, valued, and appreciated as a person, not just a job title. Providing support to reduce work or home pressures, employees can better focus on the job in hand.