More than four-fifths (84%) of employees who are offered summer flexibility policies cannot always take advantage of these, according to research by HR software business Dayforce.
Its survey of 2,838 full-time employees in the US, Canada and UK, also found that, of those who cannot always take advantage of such policies, 30% feel too busy to take time off, 24% said there is no one to cover their work and 23% are concerned about negative perceptions from managers or colleagues.
More than half (58%) reported their employer has some form of summer flexibility, with the most popular options being flexible work hours (32%), increased work from home options (22%), Summer Fridays (19%) and seasonal work-from-anywhere options (17%).
Four-fifths (80%) of respondents who are offered summer flex policies feel there are negative aspects, with 31% finding it harder to get work done when co-workers are less available and 25% experiencing increased anxiety from trying to do more in fewer hours. One-fifth (22%) would like to take advantage of summer flex policies but are too busy and 17% are worried about financial constraints.
A majority (84%) said such policies help reduce burnout and 45% value flex options more in the summer. Almost three-quarters (72%) value flexibility more in the summer than at other times of the year, and the same proportion agreed that younger workers are more accepting of, and would use, summer flexi-time policies than older employees.
Steve Knox, global head of talent acquisition at Dayforce, said: “Our research has found that the warmer weather and upcoming holidays lead to a more relaxed approach to work and a dip in productivity, or ‘summer slacking’. While generally seen as positive, summer flex policies can add to stress if they’re not managed correctly.”
