Casual Fridays have gone even more casual: as in, not even working.
“Summer Fridays” have become a new trend in American business, with 42% of companies responding to a recent survey reporting that during summer months they allow employees to leave early on Friday afternoons. Workplace culture expert Bobby Albert is on board with the idea, providing it is being done for the right reasons. “I would have to ask the question, what is your reason for offering a ‘summer Friday’?”
The wrong reason, Albert explains, would be to increase worker productivity. That, he suggests, probably isn’t going to work in the long run. But if a CEO is looking out for the quality of life for their staff, and sees a benefit to their having more time to spend with family, he’s in favor. “I would prefer by casual Fridays, and giving people flexibility to get off early. Or if they want to take paid time off that day, I would prefer that,” Albert says.
Just two years only, roughly 22% of companies engaged in Summer Fridays. The number has almost doubled, signaling a new trend in how bosses are looking to improve office morale.