With the summer holidays fast approaching, businesses often feel the pinch at this time of year. Companies are faced with the challenge of negotiating their team’s summer holidays whilst ensuring the minimum amount of disruption; summer really does make some companies ‘hot under the collar.’

How to prepare your staff for the summer

1 – Re-allocating staff

Some members of the team may be willing to step into another role or cover in a role they have previously worked in. Utilising existing staff can work wonders for motivation and confidence.

2 – Freelancers

Using a freelance person can be a burden, but if you find the right person they can bring a huge sense of relief at this busy time of year. They can often bring new ideas and a sense of vitality into a business which may well be suffering from the summertime slump.

3 – Team building

Taking more time out of the office may not be the ideal situation, however having a bonding day can be a great way to boost morale before the potential stressful summer period ensues.

In 2017, people suffering from stress or depression took, on average 17 days off work. Make sure your staff are properly motivated at this time of year.

How to prepare your IT for the summer

Summer is the ideal time to install any new systems as well as undertake upgrades. With the office being quiet and computers not being used to their maximum capacity, summer is the perfect time to do those jobs which may have otherwise been put off.

Staff will come back from their breaks to a faster operating system, hopefully aiding their transition back to working life and giving them the ability to catch up, without having to
suffer a slow and outdated system.

Creating and sharing an IT recovery plan is an essential task to undertake before the busy summer period. Ensuring staff who are going away or working from home are aware of what to do in case of a problem, is vitally important in keeping your business on track.

What would you do you if your information technology stopped working?

Networks, servers, desktops, laptops, wireless devices and connectivity software are priorities for IT recovery. Supporting time-sensitive business functions and making sure that, wherever possible, clients are not let down by this temporary hiccup should be at the top of the list. An IT recovery plan should include:

  • Protecting data off site via a remote back up service
  • Allowing system downtime
  • Putting processes in place to ensure there is no loss of business, such as recognising the sights and sounds of a potential system failure.

Nobody wants their systems to fail, but failing during the summer with a reduced workforce may result in further complications. Ensure your company is safe with a fool-proof IT recovery plan.