How do Summer Fridays work?

Summer Fridays is a workplace perk that gives employees flexible time off on top of regular paid time off. According to a survey by Gartner, 55% of North American organizations planned on offering Summer Fridays to their employees in 2019, up 9% from the previous year.

A summer hours policy is usually in effect from June to September. It’s designed to encourage a greater work-life balance when the temperatures are warmer, days are longer, and families can spend more time together with kids off school.

Implementation of this benefit varies by organization, but it usually involves giving part or all of Fridays off to let employees start their weekend a little earlier. Employees may or may not have to make up the hours at other times of the week.

Benefits of offering Summer Fridays to your staff

Flexible summer hours can boost employee well-being, help motivate staff and serve as a recruiting tool. Here are some of the advantages of Summer Fridays.

Prevents burnout

Stress is common in the workplace but can be detrimental when it’s chronic. According to a survey by Deloitte, 77% of professionals have experienced burnout at work. While this type of exhaustion has many causes, extra time off in the summer can give employees a much-needed physical and mental break.

Inspires better performance

Employees who enjoy a work-life balance and feel their best tend to generate better results for a business. This can be seen in improved customer experience, financial outcomes, adaptability and innovation, according to Deloitte.

Builds trust and loyalty

Employees who believe their managers trust them to get their work done feel recognized and more engaged. With an unlimited vacation policy, for example, employees can decide on their own how to balance their work and personal lives. A summer hours policy that doesn’t require tracking hours is a smaller-scale version of this kind of autonomy.

Helps recruit new employees

Summer Fridays can be an enticing perk when you’re trying to recruit staff, particularly younger generations entering the workforce. Generation Z workers, for example, have a different outlook toward their jobs than earlier generations. Many expect increased flexibility and work-life integration.

Structuring your summer hours policy

A summer hours policy needs to be customized to your business. You have to consider what best suits your company operations so you can meet corporate goals and the needs of your employees.

What could Summer Fridays look like for your business? Here are examples to use as you build your policy.

Provide a compressed workweek

With a compressed week, your employees take part or all of Fridays off by working longer shifts on other days to make up the hours. Based on a standard eight-hour workday, this flex schedule might look like this:

• Work nine-hour shifts from Monday to Thursday to make up four hours, and take Friday afternoon off.
• Work ten-hour shifts from Monday to Thursday to make up eight hours, and take all of Friday off.
• Work nine-hour shifts from Monday to Thursday over two weeks to make up eight hours, and take every second Friday off.

It’s important to consider the nature of your business and whether longer workdays may create more stress and exhaustion.

Close the office early on Fridays

You may want to give all employees an early start to the weekend by closing the office early on Fridays. This is paid time off without requiring staff to make up the hours.

Depending on your business needs, you can send staff home an hour early or a few hours early — the gesture is usually appreciated in any case.

Alternate Fridays off

Not all businesses are able to close during regular operating hours, especially service-oriented companies. If you can’t close the office, consider dividing your employees into two groups and alternating the time they take off.

For example, if you need people answering calls right up until 5pm, you might want a skeleton crew taking turns covering Fridays.

Provide time off at the employee’s discretion

Another option is to let employees choose when they use their perk so they can take time off when they most need it. Some staff may want to take a Monday off instead of a Friday.

You can offer this benefit on top of regular paid vacation. It can take the form of a set number of hours per week or days per summer to use at an employee’s discretion.

What do employees think is the ideal Summer Friday?

Businesses often provide a variety of benefits to mark the arrival of summer, such as casual Fridays and social activities. Accountemps conducted a survey comparing the perks employees want from a summer policy and what employers actually offer.

What employees prefer

• Flexible schedules: 52%
• Leaving early on Fridays: 27%
• Relaxed dress code: 11%
• Company picnic or potluck: 10%

What employers are providing

• Flexible schedules: 54%
• Leaving early on Fridays: 32%
• Relaxed dress code: 53%
• Company picnic, potluck or other activity: 48%
• None of the above: 14%

How to create a Summer Friday policy

1. Assess your staffing needs

Look at your workflow and determine whether you’ve got enough staff to meet the needs of your customers and clients if you implement summer hours. There may be certain days of the week or month that you can’t have staff take their flex time. This will inform the type of policy you design.

2. Ask your staff

Consult with employees to see what works best with their job responsibilities and lifestyle. This can help you determine whether to offer a compressed workweek or occasional days to use at their discretion.

3. Ensure company-wide participation

Some departments may find it easier to take time off than others. Make sure that the policy works for everyone, including temporary and part-time staff.

4. Decide how to track

If you require staff to make up hours during a compressed workweek, decide whether you want to track their time or use an honor system. If the time off is discretionary, determine how much notice you need to be given to ensure adequate staffing.

5. Be clear about procedures

All policies related to summer hours should be formalized by putting them in writing so employees are clear on how the program works.

• Indicate the start and end dates. Many businesses choose Memorial Day and Labor Day as the bookends.
• Clearly state procedures to track hours or time off taken, as required.
• Outline your expectations of employees in terms of completing work.
• Reserve the ability to ensure minimum staffing or to adjust policies as needed.

6. Evaluate how the policy is working

When introducing Summer Fridays for the first time, review it after a few weeks to see how it’s working from a corporate and employee standpoint. Is your staff stressed trying to fit in their workload? Are some employees unable to take the time off? Are any job responsibilities falling through the cracks?

Employers play a large role in setting the tone for their workplace. Offering flexible summer hours can help you put the well-being of your employees at the forefront and create an environment that fosters job satisfaction and high morale while also meeting your corporate goals.