Time to Reconnect: A Guide to Improving Employee Engagement Post-Summer Slump

Summer PTO season can leave teams feeling out of sync. Here’s how to regroup, reconnect, and return to peak collaboration (without the chaos).

What is a post-summer team reset?

After a season of OOO messages, half-filled Zoom calls, and staggered time off, even the best teams can start to feel a little scattered. A post-summer reset is a simple but powerful way to get your team re-centered—mentally, socially, and operationally—so everyone can hit the ground running into Q4 and the new year.

In 2024, only 21% of employees worldwide reported feeling engaged at work — and even manager engagement dropped to just 27%. That’s not just a productivity problem. It’s a connection problem. It’s about helping people feel reconnected, refreshed, and ready to move forward together.

Why is it important to regroup post-summer PTO season?

When everyone’s been off doing their own thing, whether sipping margaritas or juggling staycations, it’s natural for workflows and communication to get a little clunky. Without a reset, the disconnection can linger longer than it should and even carry over into one of the busiest and most critical times of the year for many teams.

Here are a few things that tend to happen post-PTO:

• Missed or misaligned project timelines
• Low energy or “meh” motivation across the team
• Bottlenecks caused by knowledge gaps
• Awkward or inconsistent communication
• Re-entry burnout or overwhelm with no grace from leadership

According to Forbes, midyear slumps can hit team morale hard, especially after a stretch of fragmented PTO and shifting priorities. That’s why an intentional reset isn’t just nice to have, it’s a must-have.

How to help your team reset after summer PTO chaos

Ready to go from frazzled to focused? These low-lift ideas will help your team realign without the stress.

1. Normalize the post-vacation slump

Let’s start with this: feeling a little off after PTO is completely normal. The inbox is overflowing. Slack is wild. You’re wondering where you left off in that one doc buried deep in your Google Drive.

Give your team space to ease back in. Encourage folks to embrace the transition back, laugh about it, and be honest about what they need to feel grounded again.

2. Host a “Reset & Refocus” team meeting

Sometimes the fastest way to move forward is to stop and realign. A short, structured team meeting can go a long way in clearing the fog and setting shared priorities.

Keep it casual at 30 minutes max. Ask:

• What’s something fun you did this summer?
• What’s your biggest priority right now?
• What’s one thing blocking your progress?
• How can I help you achieve your goals?
• What’s stressing you out as we head into Q4?

3. Tidy up your digital workspace

Let’s be real: your team’s task management system probably needs a little love. People have most likely just been throwing things in the Google Drive willy nilly. And your shared calendars? Don’t even get us started.

Block off a “Digital Deep Clean” hour where your team can:

• Close out old tasks 
• Declutter shared folders or rename docs
• Archive stale Slack channels or threads
• Clean up email inboxes
• Dig through all your open tabs and (gasp!) exit out of ones you don’t need

Doing it together makes it way more fun and way less embarrassing knowing everyone on your team could use a clean up.

4. Rebuild team rituals

Consistency helps teams feel grounded. Use this time to revisit or reboot team rituals that may have slipped during summer.

• Reinstate weekly standups, shoutouts, or retros
• Launch a “win of the week” thread
• Schedule a recurring meeting-free focus block for the entire team
• Add a monthly check-in to realign on team and individual goals
• Create an employee recognition system via your communication app to keep employees celebrating each other

The key is to rebuild rhythm without overloading your team. Rituals should energize, not exhaust.

5. Reconnect on a human level

You don’t need a huge offsite to get your team vibing again. Sometimes all it takes is a little space to laugh, bond, and reset the vibe.

Whether it’s a virtual mini game, a fun trivia session, or something artsy, Confetti has tons of experiences that help teams reconnect without the awkward icebreakers.

• Looking for a way to let your competitive employees shine? Check out our high-energy games that spark friendly rivalry.
• Want something low-key, fun, and tactical? Our arts & craft experiences are perfect for teams who like to chill and learn.
• Reconnecting a distributed team? Try one of our Kit experiences — everything ships straight to your team so they can craft, cook, or create together from anywhere.
• Hoping to inspire some fresh thinking? Our learning & development workshops blend education with engagement, covering topics like communication, DE&I, and emotional intelligence.

Check out our offerings and make your reset feel more like a celebration than a chore.

Final thoughts

Post-summer chaos happens, but it doesn’t have to define your team’s momentum moving forward. With a few thoughtful touchpoints, your team can reset, realign, and head into Q4 feeling refreshed and ready to go.

And hey, you don’t have to do it alone. Whether it’s a quick Meeting Kit to spark a great conversation or a team experience to reignite the good vibes, Confetti’s got your back ✨

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