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Fall for your office: Tips for making your workplace more efficient and productive this fall

With the changing of the leaves comes natural changes in the workplace; some positive, like an increase in productivity; and some less than positive, like an increase in sick days. But there are things managers can do to ensure that positive changes are amplified and the rest are minimized. Read on to learn how you and your employees can fall for your office this fall.

Get ready for a productivity party

Though you might think the opposite, bad weather is actually good for productivity (Harvard Business School). That means that in addition to now being the right time for major projects, product launches or corporate initiatives, it’s also a good time to initiate employee recognition and/or reward programs you may have been considering. At a loss for creative perks? Check out this list of “101 Super Effective Ways to Reward Your Employees” from Inc.

Amp up for sick days

While January tends to be the peak month for missed work due to illness, injury or medical appointments (Bureau of Labor Statistics), September and October see their share of sick days. That’s why right now is a good time to remind employees about guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help reduce the spread of seasonal illness—and consider piggybacking on those recommendations with employer-sponsored programs to underscore your commitment to keeping employees healthy.

Some ideas to consider:

And remember, sick days don’t just apply to employees. Parents often need to stay home with their sick children, with that burden falling more on the moms than the dads (Pew Research). Creative scheduling like flexible hours for parents of germy kiddos could go a long way in making employees happier this fall.

Acknowledge more hectic schedules

In nearly half of two-parent households, both parents work full time (Pew Research), which means back-to-school and early fall schedules are probably a lot more hectic for at least half of your workforce. With a new school year comes things like teacher conferences, curriculum nights, committee meetings and more. Consider programs like:

  • Fall Hall Pass, paid time off to volunteer for half-day in a child’s class or attend a school-related activity
  • Employer-sponsored childcare on non-holidays when the kids are off school for teacher work days or conferences, which usually happen once or twice in the fall
  • Companywide policy to try to limit meetings to the hours of 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., to allow for participation from parents who drive their children to school or sports
  • Offer flexible schedules, incentives and/or assistance programs for employees going back to school themselves

Remind employees about giving back

With the weather growing colder and the holidays approaching, fall is a great time to give back to health and human services and other philanthropic organizations. Remind employees of your company’s existing philanthropic program—or consider launching one now if you haven’t yet. Giving employees a few hours of paid time off to donate time to their favorite charity may be a cost-effective way to allow employees to stay involved in their community. Or, host a company-sponsored event where you all give back together.

Fall for a shorter workday or workweek

Though it may not work for all companies, the shorter workday/workweek is being adopted across industries as a way to get more focused effort out of employees and thus, in many cases, actually gainproductivity—while allowing employees a better work-life balance. In this Fast Company article by Stephan Aarstol, author of “The Five-Hour Workday: Life Differently, Unlock Productivity, and Find Happiness” and CEO and founder of beach-lifestyle company Tower, Aarstol says, “The five-hour workday exposed weaknesses that had been hidden by hourly work.” The CEO reports that after a three-month test of the five-hour workday, annual revenues were up 40 percent. Thinking of trying it at your business? Fall’s shorter daylight hours could be just right for a test.

SOURCE: GA:CREATIVE

Fall Cleaning Tips

FallCleaningTipsIt’s that time of the year again. Summer is no more, the weather is getting cooler, leaves are beginning to fall and you can bet your bottom dollar that a pumpkin-flavored drink is available at your nearest coffee shop.

Here are a couple of tips for this fall to maintain a clean and effective workplace

Use Weatherproof Entrance Mats

With the falling leaves comes dirty shoes that can track mud and debris all over the office. Entrance mats trap these elements so they don’t make an office environment dirtier. This will also save costs on floor cleaning you would probably need performed in the future.

Clear Out Drainage System

Does your building have a flat roof or have proper gutter systems installed? Be sure to clear out any falling leaves or debris because as your drainage system clogs, and debris builds up, you become at major risk of flooding and water damage.

This might be best left to the professionals, but it is at least something to think about!

Thoroughly Clean Your Office Inside and Out

Every fall, you should consider hiring a commercial cleaning company to clean your entire office. This is because, due to cooler temperatures, you will most likely be keeping doors and windows shut. This leads to a decrease in ventilation and an increase in dust and dirt build-up. You and your employees will benefit from having a clean office with fresh air quality and less dust around the workplace!

Scheduling regular cleaning appointments with us will ensure that the dust and dirt doesn’t pile up! We look forward to hearing from you.