Summer brings a drastic change to the pace and feel of college campuses. Insightful leaders will embrace this season as an opportunity for reflection, planning, training, and investing in institutional culture. In addition to individual pursuits, take advantage of the more relaxed tone of summer to foster connection among members of your team and campus staff as a whole. Here are three ways to engage with colleagues over the summer:
- Get outside. The beautiful summer weather means you don’t need much of an excuse—or much planning—to have a pleasant get-together. Have an ice cream truck come to the commons and invite employees to socialize and enjoy.
- Volunteer together. Gather around a common purpose and give back to your community. This has the added benefit of strengthening connections with other organizations in your area.
- Be predictable. Set an intentional rhythm that team members can incorporate into their schedules, like a Thursday happy hour or first Friday breakfast. By including multiple iterations, employees who are on vacation can still attend some of the dates.
