Working Smarter: How Summer Fridays & Mandatory PTO Support Wellness & Client Service @ Curley
by Hannah Belt | September 21, 2022
Curley Company’s beloved Summer Fridays came to a close this month. Every year, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Curley closes at 1 PM on Fridays to give team members the chance to take advantage of summer weekend festivities and have a little bit more time for some well-needed R&R. This is just one of the ways Curley helps employees build and retain a healthy work-life balance, something that is core to our values and company culture.
In addition to Summer Fridays, the Curley employee manual allows all team members to take unlimited PTO throughout the year, with a mandatory one full week off for each employee during the summer. This mandatory week off ensures that everyone takes full advantage of the opportunity to recharge and come back to work as their full selves feeling 100%.
Now that summer is over, we wanted to check in with members of the Curley team to see how they spent their Summer Fridays and week-long vacations!
For many team members, vacation meant spending time in nature and relaxing with family. Tina spent time hiking with her family and being near water while in Rhode Island. She said being able to completely disconnect in such a beautiful place helped her truly relax and come back energized to work with Curley’s amazing clients.
KayAnn went on a road trip with her husband and son up to Pennsylvania to visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural marvel, Fallingwater. She said seeing Fallingwater was on her bucket list, and between our Summer Friday and mandatory PTO policy, her family was able to take the trip and visit with friends along the way.
As a new Curley Company employee in 2022, this was the first year in her career that Yolanda could check out of work completely while on PTO. She was able to take a week off with her husband to go to Ocean City, MD, her favorite place to get away and relax.
Most of their time was spent lying on the beach, listening to the water, and soaking up the sun. Yolanda shared, “I was relaxed and having the time of my life. The best part was I was not worried about work one bit, nor did anyone from work interrupt my time off. It was refreshing, just like the sound of the ocean waves!”
Julie also spent her summer vacation at the beach with her family. She was able to recharge after several big client activations, which she said let her come back to work refreshed and ready to think creatively about how to keep up the momentum. Julie added that Summer Fridays allowed her to enjoy small moments of relaxation, such as walking her dogs or cooking a more elaborate dinner to celebrate summer, bringing more energy to her workdays.
Having some extra quality time with family is one way that Lorianne enjoyed her Summer Fridays. “I was able to take a few hours in the afternoon to go to the pool with my niece and sisters – something that I wouldn’t normally get to do on a weekday. Such precious time – working at a company that supports that kind of flexibility makes me more excited to show up and invest in my work.”
For Lorianne’s summer vacation, she took a full week to enjoy a peaceful and relaxing week in Maine with some friends. “It was a great recharge heading into the busy fall season and I was genuinely excited when I got back to reconnect with co-workers and clients and bring a rested, rejuvenated mindset to my work.”
For Abby, as a Digital Account Supervisor, it can be tough to fully unplug. She said, “During my full week of summer PTO, I went on my first ever cruise with my boyfriend to Bermuda! Being completely offline and unavailable from work for an entire week without internet access on a boat could be a bit nerve-wracking but the backup procedures and reassurance from my team made it easy and enjoyable. I love working in digital, but it was so nice to be forced to be unplugged and offline for an entire week. It ended up being the most relaxing trip I have ever taken!”
Now that Summer Fridays are over for the year, Curley Company has transitioned back to our normal Friday schedule, which means no internal meetings are scheduled after 1 PM. Protecting this time helps our team finish out the week strong and focus on client deliverables. It’s natural to reminisce on our summer memories, but we’re grateful to work at Curley Company where making these memories is encouraged and supported.
Till next time, summer!
