☀️ Summer-Proof Your Business: 7 Ways to Prep Your Team for a Strong Season
When the sun comes out, your team wants out too—and honestly, so do you. Whether your business heats up or slows down during the summer months, one thing is certain: you need a plan. Without it, time off requests pile up, productivity dips, and stress levels rise.
So how do you keep operations smooth, team morale high, and your business moving forward—all while still taking that well-deserved vacation? Here are seven ways to prepare your team (and yourself) for a summer that works for everyone.
1. Anticipate the Season Ahead
Before you dive into planning team outings or approving PTO, pause and look at the data. What do June, July, and August usually look like for your business?
Is it a slow season where you can experiment with flex time?
Or is it a surge season where everyone needs to be locked in?
Historical data helps you set realistic expectations, spot potential cash flow issues, and determine if now is the time to save money by reducing contractor hours—or ramp up for your busiest quarter.
2. Set Time Off Expectations Early
In small businesses, one person being out can feel like a big gap. Two people out at the same time? That can throw the whole operation.
Now is the time to get clear and specific:
How far in advance should PTO be requested?
Can only one team member be out at a time?
Are there blackout dates around launches or busy periods?
Bonus tip: Don’t leave it up to your team to “figure it out” among themselves—set the rules and lead the decision-making with fairness and transparency.
3. Offer Flexible Schedules (With Guardrails)
Summer is an ideal time to experiment with flex schedules: four-day workweeks, remote-only months, or adjusted daily hours.
Flexibility without accountability? That’s a recipe for unmet deadlines. Whatever schedule you offer, make sure:
Deliverables are still met.
Customer expectations remain intact.
Everyone knows what’s expected.
And above all—keep it equitable. Don’t give one group extra freedom and saddle another with rigid hours. Flexibility should benefit the whole team, not just a few.
4. Do a Mid-Year Review
Summer is the perfect reset point. Use it to:
Reflect on progress so far.
Re-align on goals.
Adjust strategies for the rest of the year.
Make it fun. Take your team off-site. Mix business with bonding. The halfway mark is a great time to reignite energy and focus for a strong Q3 and Q4.
5. Inject Some Fun Into the Culture
From summer socials to service days to team picnics—this is your moment to recharge the culture. Especially if the first half of the year has been tough, summer is a great time to say:
“We’re still here. We’ve done hard things. Let’s celebrate.”
Culture is built in the small moments—don’t miss the chance to make some good ones this summer.
6. Communicate, Automate, Delegate
Want more time off this summer? Then your prep list should look like this:
Communicate your availability and escalation plans.
Automate anything repeatable: emails, posts, workflows.
Delegate authority, not just tasks, so decisions can be made in your absence.
The goal: Your team should feel confident running the show—even when you’re poolside.
7. Lead by Example
This one’s big. If you tell your team to take time off but never log off yourself, guess what? They won’t either.
Show them it’s okay to unplug by doing it yourself—fully. No Slack messages, no weekend emails, no subtle signs that you’re still working.
Culture is built by what you model, not just what you say.
Final Thoughts:
Summer can be one of the best seasons to breathe life into your business—if you’re intentional. By planning ahead, communicating expectations, and giving your team space to rest and recharge, you’ll set everyone up for a strong, sustainable second half of the year.
So here’s your summer assignment:
Plan. Protect your team’s time. Protect your time. And enjoy the season.
Need help building a smarter summer strategy?
Let’s talk about how fractional COO support can help you plan and lead through every season.