By David Litherland

It is official – the clouds are rolling in, and summer is coming to a close. For employees, reminiscing about summer holidays makes it difficult to get back into full work mode, and productivity can often suffer as a result. Adding to the challenge are shorter days and less sunlight – especially impacting those prone to seasonal moods. However, there are ways that employers and managers can help facilitate the transition.

First and foremost, it is important to communicate expectations. Remind employees that performance during this quarter may be measured for upcoming reviews in the New Year. Communicate expectations about individual company roles and how successes will be measured. This will help motivate employees to shift their focus on getting back to work in a timely-manner.

Additionally, offer flexibility while concentrating on results. Keep an open mind when it comes to how your employees work. For example, offering employees 1-2 days a month where they can work from home may actually boost productivity and results in many cases. As long as expected results are being achieved, how employees work can vary.

There are also very simple ways to boost morale around the office during this time. For example, plan a casual team lunch on a Friday afternoon. Alternatively, add some fun competition into the working environment by offering rewards to those who achieve individual or company goals. Rewards can be as simple as a bonus work from home day or a gift card to their favourite coffee shop.

On the flipside, employees can take simple measures to help themselves transition during this time as well. Here are a few things to consider when returning to work after summer holidays:

1. Treat September as the “New Year”. You are much more likely to reach a professional goal made in September rather than a New Year’s resolution. Write down your goals and how
   you plan to measure them. Place it somewhere visible as a continual reminder.
2. Plan things to look forward to. Whether it is recreating “mini-vacations” at home over the weekend or planning your next big trip, having something to look forward to can help
   you overcome the back to work blues.
3. Get organized. Coming back to a full inbox can be daunting. Don’t panic – take some time to filter each email, responding to those you can instantly answer and flagging those you have
   to return to.

By considering some of these tips, the transition of going back to work post-summer holidays can become smoother. Yes summer is over – but the fall presents new opportunities for both employers and employees to refresh and set out company and individual goals.

David Litherland is Managing Partner at Summit Search Group BC.