Twenty years ago, summertime was a slow time for agencies. Clients were on vacation, the hot days made everyone a bit lethargic and there was always time to catch the ice cream truck outside. Today, that seasonality seems to have almost entirely disappeared.
Workloads are as heavy (or heavier!) than normal and clients are cancelling their vacations because they've got too many things due. It's still as hot as ever outside, but agencies can't afford a lethargic workforce anymore. With that in mind, we've compiled three productivity boosters to help get everyone through the summer months successfully.
SUMMER FRIDAYS: It may be counter-intuitive, but research shows that closing the agency early on Fridays during the summer can actually boost both morale and productivity. The idea of cutting out early on Fridays during the summer supposedly started with ad agencies in the 1960s and it's become a common perk at companies in almost every industry today. How it's executed varies widely though:
- Some agencies actually close early on summer Fridays (which can be annoying to clients)
- Some allow employees to choose 3 - 5 Fridays that they can leave early or work from home (this can be difficult to execute without the right resource management system)
- Some agencies require employees work longer hours during Monday - Thursday if they're going to leave early on Friday (this isn't very popular with working moms in particular)
- Some agencies let the employees choose whether they come into the office at all on Fridays or work from home.
HAVE SOME FUN: A client once said, "If I visit my agency and we're having more fun in our office than they are - I've got the wrong agency." Summer is a great time to lighten things up a bit and infuse some fun into the daily grind. Whether it's a ping-pong tournament during lunchtime, a quick pub quiz over pizza or just putting a movie on and setting some popcorn out. You might be concerned that everyone will slow down and lose focus if such distractions exist, but that's not what actually happens.
Although there are probably twenty productivity hacks we could list, these three tend to be simple to execute and can provide a big boost in both morale and productivity during the summertime. Give them a try and let us know what you think!
Summertime is also a great time to evaluate your agency management system. The right system can save you tens of thousands of dollars a year by helping you better manage your staffing, your contracts, your projects and your clients. Request a Free online demo of the AQUA agency management software below and see for yourself how a comprehensive, integrated solution can help drive growth and profitability for your agency.