We all know that productivity is one of the most important factors for a business to be successful. Employers want their staff to operate as productively as possible in order to survive economically – and employees, generally speaking, want to feel as if they are being as valuable and productive as possible throughout their working day.

Nevertheless, we are all human beings, and inevitably there are always varying elements and a plethora of contributing factors that affect productivity in the workplace (for more on productivity at work click here) and one of these elements is – the weather.

Now, we are very fortunate to have finally found the sunshine in the UK recently, having enjoyed a lovely sunny weekend across the most-part of the country, and especially here in Marlow, so it got us thinking about how the weather, good or bad, affects productivity levels in employees.

Rainy days:

It’s fair to say that not many people enjoy the rain, especially if you have to leave your house to get to work in it. It’s wet, cold and miserable and this can have an impact on people’s moods. It is also no small fact that many more accidents and travel delays happen in the rain, or particularly turbulent weather, so it is to be expected that employees might arrive late due to traffic and in turn need to leave earlier to avoid similar delays.

That being said however, all is not lost on the productivity front when the rain hits. Rainy skies mean that employees are more likely to stay indoors and get on with their work, especially if the incentive to leave early to avoid any major travel mishaps is at the back of their minds. Additionally keeping staff morale up when contributing factors such as gloomy weather may be effecting attitudes is a great way of inspiring more productivity within staff. Whether that’s making sure there’s some sweet treats for the next coffee break while the storm rages on outside, or suggesting a pizza delivery for lunchtime – cheering staff up when the weather might be dragging them down is a great and simple way to ensure employees feel valued and remind them that life isn’t so bad after all!

Sunny days:

Well, yes it is not as common an occurrence as we’d all like in the UK, but when the sun does raise its head, it usually has the very wonderful effect of putting everyone in a good mood. This is excellent for productivity levels as sunshine naturally enhances positivity and helps to alleviate negative emotions. Something all employers want from a happy, healthy, workforce.

However, if the weather is very hot, this can also have a negative impact on staff, as feeling hot, uncomfortable and sweaty can lead to slumps in productivity levels, and people may find it more and more difficult to focus on the task in hand. They key to this is to obviously ensure that the temperature of the office is kept to the right levels and employees are kept hydrated and happy. Also, it goes without saying that utilising the good weather is a great way to boost team spirits and take some impromptu time outside together as a team. Whether that’s at a local café/bar or just in the office outdoors space, fresh air in the sunshine is full of essential vitamins that trigger the feel-good factor in our brains – guarantying to inject life into even the most lethargic feeling of team members. Just by acknowledging and encouraging staff to make the most of the rare and nice weather, you are automatically making them feel more valued as human beings and thus eager to get on with their work more efficiently.

Ice & Snow days:

Again, almost as rare as sunny days in the UK, but a problem for staff and employers alike none-the-less, snow days can be very tricky to navigate. The key with more extreme snow and icy conditions however, is putting employee safety first and making it clear to staff that they shouldn’t put themselves at risk to come into the office.

Having systems in place that allow for staff to work remotely when the situation arises is imperative to ensuring that productivity on extreme weather days doesn’t slip. Without this assurance from employers, staff might be tempted to call in sick to avoid traveling (and thus not working at all) or risk turning up late and leaving early to navigate the conditions. Again by showing staff that you are putting value on the human being, rather than the employee, productivity levels will soar in gratitude.

So there you have it, your quick summary-guide on how to make sure productivity doesn’t slip when the elements are putting your staff under pressure, or causing their minds to wander.

For some other top-tips on how to ensure a happy work place, or to simply let your own minds wander, check out the rest of our ‘Thoughts’ page here.

To check out some of the great strategic, design and digitally creative work we do for our clients whilst we’re being very productive in both our South-East and Nottingham based offices, under all weather conditions, take a look at some of our latest work here and get in touch today!