Corporate Summer Survival Kit (Minus the Mosquito Repellent)

How to keep your team connected, cool, and kind of focused this summer.

🌞 Summer in the Workplace: It’s a Vibe

Out-of-office replies are flourishing. Half the team is living their best lake life. And the other half is wondering if everyone else knows something they don’t.

It’s that magical time of year when productivity meets pool floaties—and let’s be honest, focus levels may be floating right along with them.

But here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to be all chaos and calendar confusion. With a little creativity, flexibility, and thoughtful planning, you can keep your team connected and make space for real rest.

We’ve packed the ultimate Corporate Summer Survival Kit to help your team stay engaged, energized, and just the right amount of “I’m mentally on vacation.” No bug spray required.

🧴 1. SPF: Strategy, Play, Flexibility

Protect your team’s energy with these 3 essentials:

Strategy: Use the slower pace to regroup and realign for Q3.

Play: Joy drives engagement—build in some fun.

Flexibility: Everyone’s summer looks different. Grace is the name of the game.

🧢 2. The Team-Wide Out of Office Calendar

Because “Where is everyone?” is not a fun guessing game.
→ Avoid the chaos of mid-July meeting roulette by setting up a shared OOO calendar. It’s a simple way to stay in sync and plan with empathy—plus, it gives people permission to fully unplug without guilt.

💻 3. The Emergency Zoom Shirt

Always wrinkle-free. Always nearby.
→ Let’s be honest: no one is fully “business casual” from the waist down in July. But having one trusty button-down or blazer on standby is the secret sauce to looking composed, even if you’re melting in front of a ring light.

📫 4. The “Permission to Fully Unplug” Pass

Give your team what they really need: space.
→ Time off only works if people actually take it! That means not checking email from the beach or half-working through PTO. Model this from the top and encourage your team to get creative with their OOO replies.

Some fun-but-corporate-friendly examples:

“Currently out of office and attempting to read one book without checking Slack.”
“Recharging my brain and my SPF levels. Back soon with fewer emails and more ideas.”

💌 5. Staycation Surprise: Small Gifts, Big Impact

Not everyone’s jetting off to Italy—and that’s okay.
→ Tight budgets and busy schedules mean some employees are sticking closer to home. A thoughtful gesture, like a $10 coffee shop gift card or an “ice cream fund”, can turn a staycation into something special. Pair it with a handwritten note (yes, an actual pen-and-paper one). It’s simple, personal, and meaningful—everything summer leadership should be.

🍹 6. A Virtual (or Real) Mocktail Hour

Because connection doesn’t require cocktails or calendars.
→ Summer is the perfect time to lighten things up. Host a casual, inclusive social—think DIY mocktails, virtual trivia, or a quick HOST team event. No agenda. No pressure. Just good vibes.

🌡️ 7. The “It’s Too Hot for a Status Update” Format

Keep it short. Keep it sweet. Keep it moving.
→ Long meetings in July? Pass. Try async voice notes, GIF check-ins, or lightning round updates instead. If the heat index is above 90, ditch the slides.

🫒 Olive’s Bonus Tip: Chill Vibes Are Contagious

Your energy sets the tone.
→ Whether you’re leading meetings, planning events, or just trying to finish one email without melting, remember: people mirror the mood you bring. Lighten up. Laugh a little. And if you need help setting the tone, Olive’s on call.

🧳 Wrap-Up: Pack Light, Lead Well

Your team doesn’t need another rigid policy this summer—they need support, trust, and thoughtful gestures that go a long way.

Make space for people to rest. Let joy be part of the culture. Send the gift card. Write the note. Lighten the meeting load. And lead like a human.

You’ll be amazed how far that kind of leadership carries... even if no one’s going very far.

Want to surprise your team with a summer mocktail hour or a thoughtful mid-year wellness event?
Let us help you keep the spark alive this season—whether your team is remote, hybrid, or halfway to PTO.
👉 Explore Summer-Friendly Events