Summer Fridays have become a popular choice for HR to offer employees

Fridays in the office during the summer are quieter, Slack messages slow down as the day wanes, and early departures or dismissals are more common.

Some companies call these days “Summer Fridays” as a way to offer employees flexibility, and it’s a trend that’s on the rise. Some 59% of HR pros provided additional flexibility or time off this summer compared to the rest of the calendar year, and 28% provided more summer flexibility in 2024, according to a survey of 514 HR Brew readers.

Smaller companies win. The fewer employees an organization has the more likely it is to offer summer flexibility. Nearly half (41%) of small companies with fewer than 100 full-time employees partake in Summer Fridays. Meanwhile, only one-fourth (26%) of large companies, those with 500 or more full-time employees, offer this summer benefit.

Five-day RTOs halt flexibility. Most HR pros see no signs of their return-to-office policies slowing during the warmer months. Nearly all people pros (92%) with a five-day, in-office requirement don’t offer any special flexibility perks.

Becoming a precedent. Once an organization tests a flexible summer schedule, it likely sticks around. Some 75% of people leaders who offered Summer Fridays this year, for instance, also followed the same schedule last year.

Employees undoubtedly would welcome more flexibility this summer so they can follow the lead of other HR Brew readers who are enjoying this warm-weather benefit.