Research shows productivity slumps during summer months

A new piece of research that has just been released indicates that employee productivity levels slump in the summer, which presents a challenge for businesses in the UK.

The organisation behind that research is the Global Payroll Alliance and its findings make for worrying reading for businesses. According to the research, 61% of employees said that their productivity levels fell throughout the summer. That adds up to two thirds of them.

The total number of employees that the Global Payroll Alliance spoke to for its research was 1,132. From that total, 30% stated that they lost anything up to an hour every working day during summer.

So alarming are the findings that they are already sparking discussion about what can be done. Most of the lost productivity is due to employees struggling with hot weather. That has led to suggestions that hybrid working models may be the answer.

Speaking to HR Magazine, Matt Jenkins from Dream and Leap said:

“This highlights the need to equip people with the knowledge and skills to use time effectively, whatever the climate, and the importance of an environment enabling people to work at their best.”

Switching to a hybrid model of working involves a lot of organisational and cultural change. This is something that an employee relations consultant in Bedfordshire can help with.

Among the factors that employees cited as reasons for reduced productivity were temperatures in their offices, dehydration, exhaustion and headaches. Many said that their workplaces lacked sufficient sources of ventilation, which was contributing to tiredness and difficulty in focusing.