This will of course be the time of the year when staff want to take an extended period of holiday and this can be a juggle for owners who have workloads to manage. Flexibility and communication are key on all sides as a balance needs to be struck. Morale can be dented by refusing holiday time without a good explanation, so always be open and honest with staff about why you may have to refuse a request. If you can accommodate most holiday requests, you will probably see a boost in morale as a result, something that usually helps the bottom line as well.

Talking of holidays, one sector that will benefit from the sun is tourism and hospitality. With the Great British public and foreign travellers alike taking their holidays on these shores, sales can often experience a boost, often with thanks to some well-placed and well-timed marketing campaigns. Depending on your type of business, think of the ways you can incorporate the good weather into your promotional messages. Retailers in rural areas can benefit from the extra footfall that will be seen from an increase in day trips and should be prepared for a potentially busier time.

Summertime is the sales season for many retailers and while this could provide a tonic for some, small businesses should not feel they have to offer discounts similar to those of the larger companies. High-street chains often need to offload a lot of stock, so unless you have too much on your hands, you shouldn’t feel you need to compete with the big brands’ half price discounts that might not be financially viable for your business in the first place. Perhaps you could offer a win-win situation – such as 20% off if a customer signs up to your newsletter or tells five friends about your business.

It’s hard for anybody to not be distracted by the lure of a sunny afternoon and staff motivation can take a nosedive if it’s not dealt with promptly so try to embrace the summer months. If it’s practical and especially if you have parks or grassy areas nearby, let staff get some work down outside rather than stuck at their desk. Otherwise, encourage staff to take their full lunch hour and get out in the sunshine. The culture of working through lunch breaks is deepening, but in this weather, that’s even more damaging to morale.

Finally, the summer months might provide a good time to pause and reflect on the year so far and to plan for the year/s ahead. Find the time for a sunny afternoon stroll to collect your thoughts about the strengths and weaknesses of your current business plan and perhaps you’ll have a brainwave amid the heat wave.

If you have any business challenges you need support with, contact the Buckinghamshire Business First Business Support Team on 01494 568941 or visit our Workforce Support pages for help with recruitment, skills and training.