Summer hours are a perk small businesses can offer to workers to boost morale

Business owners have found that offering summer hours – a reduced schedule on Fridays, usually between Victoria Day and Labour Day — can be a way to boost employee morale. Workers are able to deal with summer childcare gaps, return to the office refreshed and feel like their job values them, owners say.

With summer having gotten off to a scorching start, workers across the country may be dreaming of a seaside escape or cutting out early to watch a movie in an air-conditioned theater.

For some, that can be a reality. Business owners have found that offering summer hours – a reduced schedule on Fridays, usually between Memorial Day and Labor Day — can be a way to boost employee morale. Workers are able to deal with summer childcare gaps, return to the office refreshed and feel like their job values them, owners say.

Reduced hours in the summer months can also enable smaller businesses to stand out to prospective employees in a competitive talent marketplace.

“When smaller employers have less resources and they want to be more competitive with attracting and retaining quality talent, they want to be creative with the benefits that they offer. And one of the benefits they can offer would be flexible time in the summer,” said Rue Dooley, a knowledge advisor at the Society for Human Resources Management.

Special summer schedules don't work for all types of industries, however. And it takes some trial-and-error to figure out the best option for each company.

Michael Wieder, co-founder of Lalo, which makes baby and toddler products, thought summer hours were a good fit for his 32 employees because so many of them – about 75 per cent -- are parents.

His staffers work remotely and are spread across the U.S. and several other countries. Since founding the company in 2019, he tried various summer hour schemes, such as offering every other Friday off, but the current system works the best, he said. On Fridays, the business closes at 1 p.m. local time. Staffers also get four-day weekends for Memorial Day, Labor Day and July 4th.