Workplace productivity typically drops sharply on Fridays. Work slows to a crawl as everyone--staff, supervisors, and even customers--wait for the weekend to start. The trend is even more pronounced during the summer months, which has led some employers to improve productivity by initiating flexible work schedule hours and summer office hours.
The idea of reducing work hours to increase productivity seems counterproductive, yet the strategy is popular and widespread. According to Gartner’s Global Talent Monitor, 46 percent of
Fortune 1000 companies offer flexible summer work hours, and report greater workplace productivity as a result.
Summer Office Hours and Workplace Productivity
How does shortening the work week increase workplace productivity? According to Brian Kropp, group vice president of the HR practice at Gartner, the secret lies in employee motivation. Most companies find “employees work harder earlier in the week because they know they have to complete their work before Friday” if they want to take advantage of summer office hours.
Studies on productivity show longer hours actually decrease workplace productivity: when work hours exceed 50 hours a week productivity plummets. Then there’s the distractions of the workplace to consider--it’s estimated the average employee is productive for less than three hours a day. Initiating flexible workplace schedule ideas encourages employees to be more productive during the rest of the week to earn the payoff of getting out early on Friday.
An increasing number of employees cite work/life balance as very important to job satisfaction, and the ability to take off early on Friday is valued. Happiness has a role in increasing productivity--according to one study happy employees are 12 percent more productive, so if reduced summer office hours make employees happier an employer can increase workplace productivity throughout the rest of the week.
Flexible Work Schedule Ideas
The nature of a summer office hours program depends on your business. Some industries can close early on Fridays without penalty, while others--such as retail--cannot afford to close but can rotate which staff go home early on alternating weeks.
Possible flexible work schedule ideas include:
- Every Friday off / half-day Fridays: the simplest type of summer office hours, you close early on Fridays or take the entire day off.
- Alternating Fridays off: if you can’t afford to close early every Friday, can you do so every other week? Alternatively, can you let half your staff leave work early one week and the other half the next?
- Longer days: compressing the forty-hour work week into four days works for some companies. Be aware, however, longer daily hours can affect productivity, and may require you pay nonexempt employees extra.
- Shorter hours on employee-chosen days of the week: perhaps the most complicated type of flexible work schedule, this system allows each employee to choose when he or she will leave work early. Careful scheduling is required to arrange coverage of duties.
- Work from home Fridays: some jobs can be performed from a home computer as well as they can on-site.
When to Start Summer Office Hours
Most companies that use flexible work schedules run summer office hours from Memorial Day to Labor Day, but you can shorten or lengthen your summer hours depending on your company’s needs. You may choose to shut down the office completely, or give employees the option of maintaining regular hours.
If some staff are too essential to offer summer office hours, reward them in other ways so their productivity doesn't drop. Possible rewards include extra paid vacation days, summer bonuses, birthdays off work, or high-quality promotional gifts, such as outerwear or drinkware.
Will Flexible Work Schedule Ideas Work for You?
Ultimately, a business has to decide if summer office hours work or not given the business’ specific circumstances. Some businesses find flexible work schedule ideas are incompatible with their business model, while others find summer office hours increase workplace productivity enough it’s worthwhile extending a flexible schedule throughout the year.
If you choose to experiment with summer office hours, track your results to ensure your new policy is increasing productivity. Ask employees and clients for feedback, and change your policy accordingly. Implementing the right flexible work schedule ideas can improve morale and drive employee motivation--and get you all out of the door early on Fridays.