‘Summer Fridays’ at work becoming popular among employers

More employers and organizations now offer employees an option to leave early on Fridays or take the whole day off during traditional summer months from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Sometimes known as “Summer Fridays,” this paid-time-off benefit is most often offered on the last day of the work week, but sometimes allows flexibility to other days of the week.

According to a survey by Gartner, Inc. 55 percent of organizations in North America will offer employees this warm-weather benefit in 2019. This is a nine percent increase from 2018.

Flexible time used to recruit, retain employees

This is an example of a benefit, or perk, that companies of all sizes are offering to attract top talent and boost productively and morale among employees.

Of course, some companies may be apprehensive about offering a summer scheduled due to productively concerns. Most studies find that employees who are happy with their work-life balance and benefits work much harder and are more likely to stay at their organization longer. This helps to maintain a stable culture with employees who are dedicated and loyal and garners a reputation as a good employer.

There are many ways to approach ‘Summer Fridays’

Consider these options for your Summer Friday perk from Justworks.com:

• Extra hours during the week for hours off on Friday: Employees can work an additional hour every day of the week in exchange for the ability to take off early on Friday. Many companies even apply this approach throughout the year.
• Half-day Fridays: Employees come in the morning to ensure that to-do list is handled, then leave around lunchtime. They still get to enjoy some of the day and you get to ensure that all tasks get done.
• Every other Friday off: Stagger days so that half of the company is off on one Friday and the other half is off the other Friday. This way, someone is always around to answer the phones, but it also allows people take a break.
• Every Friday off, go home and have fun: This is pretty straightforward — and also the most generous of the options.
• Offer flexible hours off for employees to choose from: Consider giving your employees the flexibility to choose when they apply their summer hours each week. Perhaps some team members would prefer Monday mornings off, or Wednesday afternoons. Being flexible could help you use your company's summer hours policy to its maximum impact.

If you haven’t considered this type of benefit before, it may be a great option to allow employees time to recharge and come back ready to work. It’s also a gesture to show your employees that you appreciate their hard work.

Do you need help crafting a policy about warm-weather schedules or flex time? The HR experts at BCN Services are here to help you. Contact us for more information or assistance.