8 Summer Employee Engagement Ideas That Actually Work

When summer hits, things tend to slow down (and we’re not just talking about traffic on the way to the lake).

The summer slump is real: productivity dips, meeting attendance drops, and you may even hear the faint sound of sandals slapping down the hallway as focus wanders to vacation plans and patio season.

But just because things feel more relaxed doesn’t mean engagement should take a vacation.

In fact, summer is a golden opportunity to refresh your culture, energize your team, and show employees that you value their contributions and their well-being – even when they’re daydreaming about gelato (we don’t blame them 😎).

Sun’s out, engagement’s in. Here’s how to beat the heat and keep employee engagement engaging during the summer.  

Why employee engagement still matters in the summer

It’s tempting to write off summer as a slower season – fewer meetings, more out-of-office messages, less pressure. But this is actually when engagement matters most. Here’s why:

• Engaged employees are more productive, regardless of the season. According to Gallup, highly engaged teams show 21% greater profitability.

• Summer disengagement can lead to long-term burnout. If your team checks out for too long, re-engagement in the fall becomes an uphill battle.

• It’s your chance to build trust. Showing you care about employees’ summer experiences (not just their output) builds goodwill and loyalty.

Engagement doesn’t have to be all-hands meetings and corporate town halls. It can look like beachy bingo cards, team picnics, and showing appreciation with a side of sunscreen.

Summer employee engagement ideas that actually work

Here are some ideas to drive employee engagement all summer long:

1. Summer bingo challenge

Create a summer-themed bingo card with fun prompts like:

• Attend a meeting from your backyard

• Recognize a teammate for something creative

• Try a new iced coffee recipe

• Wear a Hawaiian shirt to the office or a Zoom call

• Take a selfie at an outdoor concert or festival

🔗 Bonus: Check out our ready-to-go Workplace Bingo Cards.

2. Picnic + “speed connecting”

Host a team picnic in a park, and add a fun twist – a “speed connecting” round where people rotate colleagues and answer creative get-to-know-you questions like:

• Sweet treat, or salty treat?

• What’s your go-to summer song?

• Beach, mountains, or city for vacation?

• What’s your favorite outdoor activity?

• What’s your best summer memory?

3.  Office olympics

Host a friendly multi-event competition with silly or simple games like:

• Sack races

• Frisbee toss

• Water balloon dodgeball

• Hula hoop contest

• Paper airplane flying challenge

Divide into teams, keep score, and offer gold, silver, and bronze badges or points in your recognition platform (like Kudos 😉).

4. Scavenger hunt (in-office and virtual)

Organize a custom scavenger hunt around your office, local park, downtown-area or for remote-workers' homes with items like:  

• Find one thing that represents your company values

• Look for a pink post-it

• Take a photo of your team high-fiving a stranger

• Find 6 blue pens

• Find your favorite coffee mug  

🔗 Bonus: Check out our ready-to-go in-office and virtual Workplace Scavenger Hunts.

5. Summer skill-share series

Not everyone’s off hiking mountains or jetting off to the beach. For those staying put, try hosting a series of light, fun ‘lunch and learns’ where employees can share hidden talents or hobbies (gardening, cocktail-making, photography, etc.).

6. Surprise & delight gifts

Think summer-themed desk drops or virtual gift cards, like lemonade kits, sunscreen & sunglasses sets, or an Uber Eats lunch. Small gestures go a long way in keeping spirits high.

🔗 Bonus: Need more gift ideas? Here’s 25 unique employee gift ideas (that your team actually wants!)

7. Flexible Fridays

Whether it’s a half-day, no-meeting afternoons, or a full day off, offering flexibility on Fridays is the adult version of recess. It boosts morale and gives your team the time they need to recharge.  

8. Virtual background showdown

Remote teams need summer fun too! Host a weekly virtual background contest – best beach scene, most creative vacation spot, or most "wish-I-was-there" vibes. You can even turn this into a competition and let people vote for their favorite one.

🔗 Bonus: Need more inspo? We've got you. Here’s 21 in-person and remote-friendly team building activities to boost engagement.

Recognition fuels engagement – all year long ☀️

Recognition is one of the most powerful drivers of employee engagement – and it shouldn't take a vacation.  

In fact, when things slow down and team members are juggling time off and shifting priorities, recognition becomes even more important. It keeps people connected, appreciated, and motivated.  

Organizations with high levels of employee engagement experience:

• Reduced absenteeism by 78%

• Increased productivity by 18%

• 23% increase in profitability

And one of the biggest drivers of employee engagement? Recognition. Employees who feel recognized are 2.7 times more likely to be highly engaged at work.  

Whether it's a quick shoutout for covering a teammate, a thoughtful message after a project wrap-up, or celebrating summer successes, recognition helps your team stay seen and valued – no matter the season.

Here are additional resources to help keep recognition flowing:  

• How to Increase Recognition in the Workplace

• How HR Leaders Can Transform Engagement and Retention in 2025

• 20 Employee Recognition Examples Your Team Will Love

• How to Improve Employee Recognition Processes

• Leadership’s Role in Fostering Employee Engagement  

While productivity might dip in the heat, your appreciation game shouldn't. Recognition keeps culture alive and engagement strong, even when the out-of-office replies are high.

How Kudos improves employee engagement

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to keep employees engaged. Kudos already has the tools to support and scale your summer (and all year long) engagement efforts:

• 🎉 Recognition & Rewards Platform – Easy to send meaningful messages and rewards that align with your culture.

• ⭐️ Customized Incentive Programs – Motivate and reward teams through an incentive program to exceed your engagement goals.  

• 🏆 Awards & Nominations – Spotlight and reward your top performers with streamlined nominations (no more manual admin work or spreadsheets!)

• 💌 Celebrations & Cards – Keep birthdays, milestones, and work anniversaries, front and center (especially for managers and team-leads).

• 📈 Culture Analytics – Track participation and recognition trends to spot engagement dips before they become culture crises.

Whether you have remote, hybrid, or in-person teams, Kudos helps you keep your engagement consistent and your culture initiatives front and center.  

Summer is a season, culture is forever

The sun is shining, and vacation vibes are strong, but your culture doesn’t have to hit pause. A little creativity, a lot of recognition, and a few bottles of sunscreen can go a long way in keeping employees feeling seen, valued, and motivated.  

Ready to explore Kudos without the sales pitch? Watch our product demo video to see Kudos in action.