BUSINESS ADVICE
Ways to beat the Summer Slump by Wiltshire Council Public Health
Summer loving or summer hating? Whichever camp you fall into, summer can impact business performance. Here are five practical tips and some useful links from Wiltshire Council to help your business stay on track during the warmer months.
1. Absenteeism Do you dread the avalanche of requests for summer holiday leave? Do you see a rise in seasonal rhinovirus infections or summer colds? Genuine( and not-so-genuine) sickness due to BBQ food poisoning? The following links provide useful information and resources that will help. Infection control: www. wiltshire. gov. uk / environmental-health-infectious-diseases BBQ food safety: www. food. gov. uk / safetyhygiene / bbq-food-safety
2. Planned preventative maintenance This maintenance can be for your employees as well as your machinery. If sales are a bit slower and you can afford to take your foot off the gas in production, or if machinery is having an overhaul or repair, this could be an ideal time to revisit your team’ s learning and training requirements, to work on their professional development.
Allowing time for learning and investing in learning opportunities, whether formal or informal, will not only benefit the mental health of your team but also the quality of their work and productivity. www. theenterprisenetwork. co. uk / public-health / learning-and-developmentopportunities /
3. Motivate the troops Summer often heralds a dip in productivity. So, take this time to invest in yourself and your team. These slumps are the best time to plan team events and informal outings to help the team bond and keep everyone motivated.
However, summertime drinking can be problematic. Yes, it is nice to have a cool, refreshing drink in the sun, but moderation is the key. If you have employees who go beyond that, they may need some support. Substance use can have a negative effect on an employee’ s ability to carry out a job effectively and safely. www. theenterprisenetwork. co. uk / publichealth / drinking-and-substance-misuse /
4. Feeling good? Look after your body as well as your mind.
“ In 2020, musculoskeletal( MSK) problems were the second most common cause of sickness absence, which accounted for 20.8 million days lost in work( 17.5 % of total sickness absence), surpassed only by absence due to minor illness such as coughs and colds”.( Source: ONS)
Good MSK is integral to a healthy life- to work and play. It is also fundamental for healthy ageing. It supports us with functional mobility and dexterity, balance and coordination, and contributes to muscular strength and endurance, essential to most forms of work.
By staying physically and mentally fit we reduce the risk of other health problems and time away from work. www. theenterprisenetwork. co. uk / publichealth / physical-health-and-wellbeing /
5. The financial summer slump Your customers, colleagues and workforce are on holiday. Sales are down; engagement has decreased. Your bottom line is affected.
Hopefully this is a seasonal blip that you expected and will recover from.
But look at it from your employees’ point of view, especially those with care responsibilities.
Long summer holidays can mean extra costs for care, food, and entertainment, and that is before they feel the pressure to take the family on a holiday. This all introduces extra financial worries which can prevent individuals from performing their best at work. www. theenterprisenetwork. co. uk / publichealth / financial-wellbeing /
Free business support from Wiltshire Council Wiltshire Council’ s Health Coaches offer free support for businesses in Wiltshire to help create healthier workplaces. Find out more via publichealth @ wiltshire. gov. uk or 0300 003 4566.
14 www. tbeswindonandwilts. co. uk