As the scorching heat is raging, the employees are given special benefits. They considered the fact that their physical strength is easily exhausted in the heat and the timing of their children’s summer vacation.
According to the Financial Times (FT) on the 31st of last month, European companies focused on law firms and consulting sectors are increasing additional vacations and working from home for the summer.
Fincent Masons, a global law firm in London, said it has introduced a new summer program that allows employees to take half a day off for four days, spanning July and August. After conducting a similar system on a trial basis last year, it will be officially implemented this year.
Another law firm, Covington and Burring, gave employees up to two weeks to work from home in August.
Fund manager Jupiter allowed employees to work remotely for a month in the summer without going to work for a month in order to allow them to work and take care of their children together. “Childcare during the summer vacation, especially at long schools, can be challenging for some parents, so we provide employees with more flexibility in their work system during the month of August,” said Tracy Kinsella, head of Jupiter’s human resources department.
From mid-June to the end of August, KPMG had to leave work at 1 p.m. one day a week. “The flexible working system allows employees to make the most of the summer,” said Carl Edge, head of human resources at KPMG.
Some companies offer free ice cream. Hive Group, the host of the conference, has been holding “Summer Friday” events for three years. In July and August, all employees can work Friday morning and leave work. It also has a free ice cream cart in its office.
“Companies that provided work flexibility, such as from home, during the COVID-19 pandemic have returned their employees to the office after the pandemic is over,” the FT said. “Nevertheless, proposals are being made to provide greater flexibility in the summer.”
However, there are concerns that if the special benefits of summer disappear in autumn, it could cause unnecessary backlash. In fact, an executive at a large consultancy company said Friday that he is not introducing a summer policy such as half-day work, and that he is worried that criticism will pour out when he cancels the policy.
Laura Emson, a professor of business at Bays London City University (Bays Business School), said: “The problem with providing compensation for remote work in the summer months is that the requirement to spend more time in the office feels like punishment in the fall.”
JULIE KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
