‘If I've got relationships with my team members, maybe I find out some people prefer long weekends all summer, rather than two weeks off,’: academic explains why balancing time off and output requires communication and customized policies

May 29, 2025

As summer arrives, employees are eager to enjoy warmer weather and more personal time. But new research suggests many are quietly adjusting their work habits—logging off early, stretching lunch breaks or even faking sick days—to claim the flexibility they crave.

Nearly four in five employees say achieving work-life balance in summer would boost their well-being, according to a Dayforce survey of 2,005 full-time workers across Canada, the U.S. and U.K

However, an equal proportion are feeling pressured to maintain typical productivity levels despite the seasonal shift.

Karen MacMillan, assistant professor of organizational behaviour at Ivey Business School, says HR leaders need to shift how they define success in this context.

“It’s hard to control employees, and sometimes managers or leaders think that that's what the job is, is to keep those noses to the grindstone as much as humanly possible,” she says.

“But I think we need to rethink that and maybe consider that that is not the key objective.”

Summer flexibility and productivity

Most employees aren't productive throughout every hour of the workday, Macmillan says — regardless of the season. This is why there are opportunities to allow for flexibility without taking...

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