SURVEY SAYS: Summer Workplace Issues

Last week, I asked NewsDash readers, “Which summer workplace issues does your company experience?”

Apparently hygiene is not a common summer workplace issue among responding readers, since the fewest amount of readers selected this one (2.7%). More predominant issues that occur in respondents workplaces were “an office that is too cold” (45.9%) and “employees taking the more casual dress code too far” (40.5%).

Other issues were selected by readers as follows:

An office that is too hot (37.8%);

Summer interns not helping with productivity (10.8%);

Employees taking advantage of flexible schedules (21.6%);    

Not receiving advanced notification of co-workers time off (32.4%); and

Employees taking too many last-minute days off (13.5%).

It was surprising to see how many responding readers who chose to leave comment had few, if any, of the workplace issues listed. Office temperature was the most discussed in comments, and a few listed issues with dress codes. Editor’s Choice goes to the reader who said: “I have been working in the summer since I was 16 and still largely dislike doing so. Something about warm sunshine calls me to be out hiking or reading in the sun instead of under the glare of florescent lights and computer screens…how long until retirement?”

Thanks to all who participated in the survey!

Verbatim

Wish we could shut down for 6-8 weeks.

Since we changed our dress code to “dress for your day”, we do not have many summer workplace issues. “Dress for your day” dress code obviously has some guidelines but everyone is respectful of them.

In an industry where you need to bend over to talk to residents in wheelchairs and other chairs, low-cut tops are not appropriate. Same thing for the receptionist at front desk area who sits and has customers approach standing. Not cool. Sandals and flip flop footwear don’t belong in a work setting, especially offices. We’re not at the beach–yet. What is with wearing yoga- type body clinging pants? They are not pants. At the least, put on a longer shirt/blouse for goodness sakes! Way too many private curves showing.

I live in a tropical climate and work in a secured building. We have a casual dress code (with corporate guidelines) so most of the above does not apply. Other places I have worked have had an issue with coverage because many people take vacation during the summer for family vacations, but it doesn’t seem to be an issue here. I am usually cold and some parts of the building are more chilly than others, but the President/CEO gave everyone windbreaker jackets last Christmas so that problem too is a non-issue. I just realized I work for a pretty good company lol!

Biggest concern is that Summer is now like any other time of the year; too busy to take time off.

We go to jeans on every Friday during the summer, which everyone loves, most people follow the dress code and we have few issues

We actually do not have any of the issues indicated.

Very few here. People seem to behave like adults, follow the informal dress code, show up for work, and work from home as allowed.

Our weather can change dramatically from day to day and the heating and cooling systems have a hard time keeping up. I just layer my outfits.

The office is always the wrong temperature. Freezing in the morning, burning up in the afternoon. We dress in layers and have heating pads at the ready!

It is generally too nice outside to be bothered with summer work place issues!

We offer half day Fridays during the summer and find a lot of employees “working from home” for that half day.

We don’t have set employee schedules, and boy, can you tell in the summer. Fridays are so bad that the director suggested we shouldn’t work on that day. But everyone knows that us finance folks have to work every day

I have been working in the summer since I was 16 and still largely dislike doing so. Something about warm sunshine calls me to be out hiking or reading in the sun instead of under the glare of florescent lights and computer screens…how long until retirement?

Our dress code issues seem to involve appropriate footwear. Flip flops and garden clogs are not acceptable, but dressy sandals are. The AC runs cool enough that people wear sweaters over their tank tops, so that takes care of that issue.

Our environment is flexible all throughout the year, but it’s just something about summer that makes you want to take off of work and skip in the sunshine!

I guess we are fortunate that we don’t seem to have any of the problems listed. I assume it means our expectations are well known and observed.

Office temperature is a constant battle. During a recent day when the temperature was hot outside and the air conditioning broke, we had people using fans to cool themselves while others were still using their desk heaters. Cannot please everyone.

Summer just has a more relaxed vibe and that translates into peoples’ attitude about work. More PTO days, leaving a little early on Friday – who doesn’t want to enjoy the summer months?

The sound of Flip-Flops flippity flopping is not cool.

Could be worse. Could be snowing…