Summer months are some of the hardest times to work to one’s full potential, as the sweltering heat makes it impossible to be creative and productive. However, a new trend is emerging that promises to nullify this problem. Summer Friday, the perk of leaving the office early on Fridays in the summer, which started as a rare luxury, has watered down and now has become a workplace staple in many places. The trend is a testament to the evolving work culture and the growing emphasis on work-life balance.
Summer Friday is not a new term. In fact, it was introduced in the 1960s in the media and advertising industry. Known for its intensive workload and creative approach, the industry started offering its employees the chance to leave the office early on Fridays to relax, rejuvenate, and come back stronger on Mondays.
It didn’t take long for Summer Fridays to become popular, and by the 1990s, the trend began to spread beyond the creative industries like media and advertising. The Society for Human Resource Management conducted a survey in 1999, and it was found that around 10% of US companies were offering their employees Summer Fridays in one form or another.
This trend followed through the 21st century. The rise of the tech industry, which mainly focused on innovative and flexible work environments, has played a vital role in the widespread adoption of Summer Friday. Companies like Google and Facebook were the first ones in the tech industry to provide their employees with Summer Friday benefits, setting a standard for others to follow.
According to a 2017 survey by Gartner, around 42% of US companies offer Summer Fridays or similar flexible scheduling options. The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated the adoption of flexible working hours and Summer Fridays. A 2020 Survey by Job List found that around 27% of the employees were offered more flexible hours during the pandemic, including Summer Friday.
The main benefit of Summer Friday is that it boosts team productivity. This is evident by the study conducted by Harvard Business Review, which concluded that the prominence of Summer Fridays in offices has resulted in a boost in the company’s overall productivity. Moreover, Summer Fridays give the employees much-needed job satisfaction. Metlife conducted a survey in 2019, where 72% of employees with Summer Friday perks reported a higher degree of job satisfaction. This also raises the employee retention rate, which brings top-notch talent to the company.
