Slump-proofing the summer starts well before anyone checks in at the airport.”— David Bowes, Head of People at InsightsLONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, July 16, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- With the holiday season upon us, business leaders are being urged by leading people development company Insights to act now or risk their operations grind to a halt due to the well-known, but often unaddressed “summer slump.”
A new guide from global people development company Insights has been produced in response to previous research that workplace productivity can decline up to 20% during summer months, while project timelines can lengthen by 13%.
“Too many leaders plan for absence, not impact,” explains David Bowes, Head of People at Insights.
“You’re not just losing a person for two weeks - you may be losing your team’s planner, your motivator, your quiet fixer. These personality gaps can derail performance if they’re not anticipated.”
To help leaders keep performance on track whilst ensuring employees can take a guilt-free, interruption-free break, Insights has released A Leader’s Guide to Combating the Summer Slowdown, a practical playbook for maintaining team momentum as headcounts fluctuate.
Key recommendations include:
• Don’t just fill seats - fill roles with the right personalities. Identify essential responsibilities and match cover to team strengths.
• Prevent burnout by planning workload balance. Avoid overburdening the few who remain.
• Clarify what’s critical. Set clear boundaries on what needs doing now, next, and later.
• Communicate the gaps. Let the team know what skills or behaviours will be missing during absences, who’s stepping up, and how others can support.
• Empower decision-making. Make sure authority and timelines are clear and pair less confident team members with peers for backup and reassurance.
“Slump-proofing the summer starts well before anyone checks in at the airport,” adds David.
“Smart leaders know the real risk isn’t people taking time off - as employees are entitled to a guilt-free break with family and friends - but the lack of planning for how their absence shifts team dynamics and leaving team members underequipped.”
The downloadable guide also includes templates for communication planning, tips for building flexible cross-functional teams, and insight into aligning work to people’s natural strengths.
Download “A Leader’s Guide to Combating the Summer Slowdown” now.
Notes to editors
For more information or interviews please contact Rebecca Griffiths on rg@griffithshuntpr.com, 07792568421
Insights Learning & Development is a global organisation working with some of the world's biggest companies, helping their people to increase self-awareness, improve relationships, and solve real and pressing business issues. Through the framework of a common language of colour, we help people understand themselves and others, communicate with impact and become more effective teams by putting people right at the heart of everything we do.
Insights purpose is to create a world where people truly understand themselves and others and are inspired to make a positive difference in everything they do. Our people are guided by our values of making a difference, delivering results, working together, enabling success and enjoying the journey.
— David Bowes, Head of People at Insights
Rebecca Griffiths
GriffithsHunt PR
+44 7792 568421
email us here
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