ActionCOACH shares its top tips for keeping employees focused

ActionCOACH has been sharing its most effective methods for stopping productivity slumps over the warmer months.

ActionCOACH’s CEO, Brad Sugars has shared his top tips for keeping employees focused and engaged over the distracting summer months. One study found that workplace productivity can drop by around 20 percent during warmer weather, as employees dream of holidays and beach days. The global business coaching franchise is keen to help companies avoid this.

Sugars recommends allowing employees paid leave at shorter notice, as most companies require at least a few weeks’ notice before a holiday.

"If you allow employees to give three days' notice, they will be less likely to look at the clock and think about their vacation (when they should be working)," says Sugars, recommending a more relaxed approach to time off in the summer, including allowing more half days.

He also suggests allowing employees to be more flexible about their working hours or offering variable flex-times to suitable employees, provided their weekly requirement of hours is still achieved. For example, Sugars suggests that employees might work an extra hour every day of the week, so they can leave four hours early on Fridays, giving them extra time to enjoy their weekend.

ActionCOACH, which offers a range of face-to-face and online group and individual workshops and coaching services, was founded to make businesses the best they can be. Sugars offers further helpful tips, including offering incentives to reward increased productivity, like gift vouchers or early finishes for teams who hit their weekly goals.

He says that one of the most valuable ways to reward hard work is through a simple thank you. By showing employees appreciation for what they do, the benefits to the business will be enormous.

"I have a reminder that goes off every day at 2pm that says, 'Acknowledge two employees today.' I send them a text message or an email showing my appreciation. It costs a lot more money to lose an employee than a customer,” advises Sugars.

ActionCOACH has franchises in over 75 countries and helps thousands of employees and businesses every week to get the most out of what they do.