With the final few of the éclat team jetting off to catch the last of the summer rays while the rest of us sit watching the rain bounce off the gravel driveway outside the office, I thought now was a fitting time to reflect on the summer.
The majority of us are aware of the so-called “summer slump”. Summer often consists of sitting in our offices glancing out of the window day-dreaming of a hot, exotic destination, or perhaps going to such a place but then inevitably having to return. This also means that summer tends to be a time where productivity can dwindle, the office can feel desolate, and going to work rather than the beach is not always favourable.
The Public Relations industry is one that relies on communication, response, and activity, all of which are made harder when there are fewer people to communicate with.
Lately there has been a noticeable increase in unanswered calls, out of office notifications, and the classic ‘hot dogs or legs’ Instagram posts (of which even some of the éclat team are guilty). We are left with fewer journalists, fewer analysts, as well as fewer spokespeople or client contacts.
Here at éclat we follow a ‘payments by results’ (PBRs) structure. We set quarterly targets all year-round, so in the summer finding opportunities for our clients can sometimes be tricky. Nevertheless, our team has tackled this by recognising that the summer months require us to be more proactive, more imaginative, as well as more patient. It is also during this time that our close relationships with important, reliable journalists are invaluable.
Nevertheless, this lack of correspondence isn’t all bad. With fewer phone calls and fewer emails to attend to, lately we have turned our attention to team brainstorms, generating new campaign ideas, catching up with our clients, and making more time to take a step back and reflect on our recent achievements, as well as potential improvements.
Furthermore, with different members of the team out at different times, the summer is when we realise how adaptable we are. Being a small team, here at éclat we pride ourselves on being flexible, and supportive of one another’s role. The work will always get done and we maintain a steady flow of results we can be proud of.
I think it’s safe to say we’ve made it through the so-called “summer slump” so I thought I would share some tips for maintaining a positive office environment that have helped us through:
- Stay cool – we’ve had fans a plenty, a new air conditioning unit installed, outdoor lunches, and the occasional ice lolly run for when the heat really does get too much
- Take time off – the majority of us have taken some time (admittedly some more than others…) to soak up the rays, explore new places, and of course come back with some enviable tan lines
- Avoid hangry colleagues – anyone who’s read our previous blogs knows the way to the éclat team’s heart is… yep you guessed it… food! Despite us all being envious of the next jet-setting team member, the jealousy soon dies when they return with various delicacies from their more exotic destination
- Catch up on sleep – take advantage of the reduced traffic due to the school holidays and get that extra half hour you can normally only ever dream of!
Realistically symptoms of the “summer slump” are unavoidable, however with the right team around you and a bit of selfish TLC, it can easily be overcome.
From everyone at éclat, we hope you’ve had a splendid summer and that, like us, are looking forward to entering a new season feeling refreshed, positive, and just that little bit browner…