Article contributed by Allison Ebner, EANE
Looking for the perfect way to celebrate your staff this summer? Here are a few ideas (for every budget!) that might help you keep the employee engagement buzz going during the summer months:
Food, food and more food
- Who doesn’t love a great BBQ on a hot summer day? Grab a grill and have your managers and leadership team grill up a fantastic lunch!
- I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! This one can get tricky in the summer but an ice cream treat or popsicles on a hot day is a sure way to cool off the staff! Worried about melting? Look up the nearest ice cream food truck in your neighborhood!
- Pot luck picnics – Your staff are hiding some great culinary recipes! Pick a day to gather together and do a summer pot luck picnic. Share the recipes later with everyone.
- Food truck Friday – Book a local food truck and treat your team to lunch or a great snack on a Friday afternoon.
Employee gift ideas
- Summer sizzle beach kits – Grab a cooler and fill it with sunscreen, a beach towel and a few other fun summer treats. (Five Below and Amazon have some great stuff!)
- Tumblers are a great gift for everyone. There are so many different shapes, sizes and varieties to choose from. You can put your logo on them or just buy them in different colors.
- BBQ sets – Everyone is breaking out the grills for the summer. BBQ utensil sets are great gifts for staff, and you can customize them with different sauces and accessories.
- Beach bags are a great gift for staff as they can use them all summer at pools, lakes and beaches.
Other ideas
- Try a half day Friday program where staff rotates getting a half day on a Friday once per month in July and August. Many organizations are doing this on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
- Summer staff picnics – Take your staff to a designated place for a company picnic where they can bring their family with them. This is a great opportunity to get to know your employees on another level.