Boosting productivity during the summer slump

With the heat comes the organisational fatigue. In a study by Captivate Network, the summer months come with a dip in productivity of around 20%, while attendance drops by around the same percentage. On an individual level, the study also found that motivation languished. Nearly half of respondents (45%) were ‘distracted’ by the good weather.

 

Post-pandemic, work life balance is important. But charities don’t have to go into hiding during the warm weather. We suggest special projects and initiatives to bide the time wisely.

 

 

Make your digital strategy sustainable

 

Take time to catch up on what’s new in digital strategy. For 2023, new trends are emerging. Topping the list are sustainability challenges, including green power usage and tools. Consider tackling each element at a time.

 

Our sustainability investigation reveals that there’s much to be done. Here are our top suggestions:

• Ensure that your electricity consumption is green: Check out which providers in your area use renewable energy sources. Octopus and Bulb are leading green utilities.
• Track your habits by using digital tools: There’s a huge range of carbon emission tracking tools. Simple ones include those produced by WWF and the Carbon Trust
• Use free trials for enterprise ESG tracking: The summer is a great time to pilot new ways of doing thing. Check out enterprise tools from Google

 

Rethink the finances

 

Planning for the upcoming quarter makes sense. During the summer months, expenses tend to be low since staff are away. Take it as an opportunity to revisit the budget.

 

In our step-by-step guide, we outline how to think about budgeting. Start with the charity purpose, prioritise cost items, and make sure that there’s some cushioning.

 

Use the lull to optimise financial processes. Selecting a financial management system can be a minefield – why not take it in small bites during the summer months? A good place to start is Sage Intacct’s Non-profit accounting software buyer’s checklist.

 

 

Try before you buy

 

There might be digital tools that teams want to try, but never have time. Tools for media editing have freeware features and trials. Check out Canva’s free platform for editing and content creation.

 

Free video creation software packs a bunch. Film during the summer months and then use post-summer months to edit. Graphic design tools like Gimp, Stencil, and others also come at no cost. We’ve also rounded up the best editing software in general, so have a play around.

 

 

Engage your staff

 

Use the down time to engage with staff on work-life balance, office culture, and surveys.

 

To create the perfect survey, decide who from your organisation is the target. Then mix up the questions with multiple choice, free form, and ratings. Don’t forget to add a control question to ensure that participants are paying attention.

 

Ideas for staff surveys including gauging sentiment on digital maturity, happiness at work, and what can be improved. There’s also the option of sending out sustainability calculators.

 

In a recent LinkedIn blog, staff writers highlighted that organisations do better when ‘Stay interviews’ are conducted. The summer months are a good time to check-in and ensure retention.

 

 

Implement or trial office changes

 

The cost-of-living crisis may have affected operations. For those charities who are scaling down office space, the summer is a good time to trial out the changes. Fewer staff are coming in and you’ll be able to adjust without as much disruption.

 

Take the opportunity to review hybrid and asynchronous working arrangements.

 

Low-cost options and tools are available to those looking to reduce fixed costs. The physical arrangements include shifting to better sound and video tech for remote meetings. Software can also come at no or limited costs. Google Suite is free.

 

There’s a huge variety of project management software to help disparate staff coordinate.

 

 

Plan for future fundraising events

 

To avoid last-minute mishaps during fundraising events, take the time to plan properly. Reviewing and adjusting your fundraising strategy is essential.

 

Start by auditing your existing strategy. At Charity Digital, we suggest asking questions like: “how many of your current donors are returning to donate to you on a regular basis? What is the average gift size? How many donors have lapsed in giving over the last 12 months?”

 

Next, design what key performance indicators (KPIs) chart fundraising progress. Leverage donor management and CRM systems for detailed information. You may find that over the past period, data shows that the strategy needs to be changed.

 

Last, design a plan to improve KPIs. Identify what the situation is by baselining, and what actions need to be taken to achieve greater success.