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Randy Harrington on whether summer hours are hurting your company's productivity and profits.
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-- okay first topic today it's steaming outside might be getting a little bit of relief today in many parts of the US but -- -- hot out.
And that's taking a big -- -- of many businesses bottom lines especially.
In May June July and August said -- joining us talk about all this from Oxford Mississippi joining us on Skype.
Is Randy -- ten.
Business leadership consultant.
CEO of strategic arts and sciences as well as the -- Evolutionary as transformational leadership.
-- -- -- on sun and -- -- -- space for sometime and thank you.
Sell so there isn't today has this summer productivity -- com.
-- there's no doubt about it and it's one of the most consistent trends.
That we can see and businesses small and large across the country intact across the world it's not just an American phenomenon.
And a study that we're looking at from cab to -- shows that productivity typically tumbles 20%.
In the summer for businesses out there across the US right.
That's right OK what about attendance how does that do.
And attendance is just about as bad it's also down usually by about a fifth as well as things go along.
And what's interesting to me is that.
You know each and every year I'm in a -- say it's bad managers are surprised they they go oh my goodness what happened here what's going on.
And my first messages and do you know we -- This is not news right and what you need to be doing is anticipating this and figuring out ways to work with your teams.
A more intelligently.
OK so let's talk then about some of the tips where we can.
-- make sure our employees are present during the summer and can make sure there are also more productive so what can you deal.
If -- -- business out there to make sure that you're getting something out of your workers well.
I think the very first thing to do is to not begin to try to solve the problems in the middle of the summer.
So I mean -- candidly speaking these problems should be considered in January or are typically at the beginning of your fiscal year.
So recommendation number one -- work off of an annual calendar where you anticipate these seasonal dips.
And account for them both in terms of staffing and productivity as well as what you want your employees to be doing so.
Rule number one for senior leadership is worked off of the calendar and make sure everybody knows what that calendar is.
-- that for example in the summer you might have more special projects.
In place you might have more employee development programs going on in place.
Yes you break -- there's some good tips right just realizing that.
You're workers and -- -- about getting to the beating getting out of the office early on Friday then -- their daily tasks.
So Lauren you're exactly right because I mean the truth of it is I think the big reason we see such a profound shift in the summer time.
It is.
Employees are asked to choose between their families and work then and look at your heart in which we would you go you know.
If you've got kids coming home or kids that are not in school and now you have to deal with those kids not in school.
It changes your life.
If you've got extremely coming into town -- -- Opportunities are pressures for you to go to weddings or who knows what threat you know you're constantly being asked to choose between work and family.
And that's just a really difficult thing to do so another tip would be you've got -- empathize with that tension.
You've got to at least acknowledge that tension and then figure out ways.
Two two.
Allow those employees to minimize the pain of that choice.
-- you have to certainly be realistic empathize -- also say set the tone from the top what do you mean -- that.
Well I mean -- There's just no doubt about there's interesting research that shows that.
If if I see mr.
Smith my -- coming in at ten and leaving at three.
And he's wearing his golf shorts on the way out the door.
There's just no doubt about the fact that I'm gonna ditch out of there is quick -- can't.
Everybody does any desserts do that he gets paid the big bucks.
That's well.
And the truth of it is that mr.
Smith might actually be out closing a big deal -- that golf course.
It's critical to the business and so there have to be communication about that set the tone from the top.
And in you've got a you've got to really over communicated in the summer of how people are producing and what's going on.
So that people trust.
That it's not just me is getting saddled with calls but -- work.
Right now that's that's one more quick -- and advances the more powerful one.
And that is that this is a huge opportunity in the -- time for managers to go ahead and -- -- -- size.
Top performers opinion leaders to people that are doing great work all year long.
And going to sit down at their desk and say hey you know what July we're gonna be really -- I've got four people on vacation.
I really want you to be our manager of the day.
All the way through July I'm gonna give you some coaching in June on what I want you to do and then on August first we're gonna sit down and debrief how that went.
Well I can guarantee you that if you do something like that with someone who is looking for an opportunity to step in the management or grow their career development.
That person is going to be on -- they're gonna be coming in early they're gonna be Stanley they're going to be making sure the job gets stuff.
-- that's an excellent point at the steamy summer weather is your time to shine in say out here out working hard.
Regardless of what my friend -- down the shore or whatever else it is -- up company and outings would you recommend them for the summer.
The you know.
My feeling about fun is -- is great but.
This sensibility that I get in in corporate cultures across America when I go talk to employees.
-- they roll their eyes and they go oh my gosh it's just one more thing to do.
And you know please don't make me go to a party.
You know I don't really wanna do it to my tip about finding yes absolutely make work fine but make work fine.
In other words make people have fun while they're doing their job that's.
Such a good point.
It really is because you know maybe people and admitted let you know yeah have valuable and limited time and it should be -- -- our -- -- fund shouldn't have to be something here.
Forced to doing outside of work that it denigrate you say if you mandatory fund.
You know -- done and it's not that is just not gonna.
Well Randy carrying to and you certainly were fine thank you for joining us we'll teaser -- an -- -- you can see an evolutionary transformational leadership.
Thank you so much for coming on the -- so today enjoy your day.
