5 Ways to Boost Office Morale This Summer

Here's how to keep your team cheerful during the dog days of summer

Summer always kicks off with a bang–literally, if 4th of July fireworks are involved. The first warm weekends are a blur of barbecues, picnics and days at the beach.

Plenty of businesses get in the summertime spirit by hosting employee days or other events. Owners of small- to medium-sized businesses (SMB) might think that kind of fun is out of their budget, but that's not true! With a little planning and creative thinking, you can give your team a well-earned morale boost that won't drain the company account. Follow these tips and don't forget the sunscreen!  

5 ways to add a little cool to your summer office

1. Have lots of cold drink options on hand

Iced tea and coffee are great ways to beat the heat—and you may already have all the equipment you need to provide them. Keurig coffee makers can make cold drinks as well as hot drinks. These icy beverages require few ingredients, and they spare your team members the trouble of running out into the hot weather to buy an expensive latte that's mostly sugar. 

Tea, flavored sparkling water and juice are also great options. For extra summery vibes, infuse water with summer fruit flavors.

2.  Have homemade ice cream days 

Buying ice cream for your team is a good way to lift everyone’s spirits (especially if you can all get outdoors and walk to a neighborhood shop), but homemade ice cream is really special. Ice cream makers are affordable and churn out delicious results that are guaranteed to make everyone smile. Homemade ice cream also puts you in direct control of the product’s ingredients, which is perfect for employees with food allergies or sensitivities. 

Encourage your team to chime in on what should be made from week to week, or put a different department in charge to see who makes the most delicious flavor. Try new and interesting recipes, vote on silly flavor names and ask everyone to bring in their favorite toppings. There's really no wrong way to incorporate ice cream into your summertime fun.

3. Encourage casual dress days (or months) 

Office wear can be especially uncomfortable during the hot and humid days of summer. Casual Fridays and similar events let employees stay cool in the office as well as on their commute. If your business isn’t very public-facing, consider relaxing the dress code as often as possible—maybe even the entire summer. Simply swapping blazers and suit jackets for loose-fitting shorts and T-shirts will do a lot to keep your team cool and happy.

4. Get a pool

Hear us out on this one. If you have the available property and can do it safely, a pool is an amazing way to tackle summer. Soft-sided or inflatable pools are affordable and easy to set up and can provide a splashy finale to a tough work week. A wading pool is even easier to manage and still lets the team kick off their shoes and cool off.  

Company “swim time” can also double as an opportunity for a potluck picnic where everyone brings something for the team to enjoy. Invite your employees to bring their families, too—especially the kids. 

5. Do half-day Fridays

“Summer hours” means different things from place to place, but generally refers to a business reducing its hours of operation in some capacity, such as closing early or shutting down completely on Fridays. 

It may be difficult but try to find a way to make summer hours work for your business. Even an hour or two less can make a big difference to your team's happiness. Giving your team a bit of time to enjoy the warmer weather lets them know you care about them—and leaves you room to have some fun, too!

Need more morale-boosting ideas? 

It can be a challenge to keep your team happy and engaged when the thermometer soars. Walmart Business can help you find what you need to keep them going this summer. Already have a Walmart Business account? Upgrade to a Walmart Business+ membership for access to free shipping,¹ free store delivery on orders over $35² and 2% rewards back for purchases over $250.³ The savings can add up to over $500 a year!⁴

¹ Excludes most Marketplace items, freight and certain location surcharges.

² Restrictions apply. 

³ Rewards can only be used toward future purchases on Walmart Business. Additional terms apply.

⁴ Savings based on 1 free $35+ delivery order vs. $9.95 fee and 1 free shipping order under $35 vs. $6.99 fee biweekly, plus 2% Walmart Business rewards on monthly order >$250 (average value of $400).