How our colleagues are using their summer hours

We haven’t let the weather stop us from having a brilliant summer! Many Penguin teams have opted for Summer Hours, with colleagues clocking off at 1pm on Friday afternoons from June through till the end of August 🌞

Other teams have opted for group trips and events, maximising on time spent together away from their desks.

We’ve loved hearing everything our colleagues have been up to — from going to exhibitions and half-marathons to DIY and spending time with family, keep reading for some inspiration for the remaining weeks of summer! (And fingers crossed for some sun...)

Anne Porter (she/her), Contracts & Business Affairs Executive

I’m really interested in art, and having the Friday afternoon off has made it much easier to go to exhibitions and travel further. I trekked to west London to Chiswick & Hogarth houses, saw the DIVA exhibition at the V&A, visited Dulwich Picture Gallery with my mum and dad, visited the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and got to see Regent’s Park Rose Garden at its peak. This coming Friday I’m going to the newly reopened National Portrait Gallery. I have a National Art Pass so I either get in free or half-price!

Summer hours make the weekend feel much longer, more restful and offer the opportunity to do something calming after a busy work week. It also means I have time and energy to travel to things further away without eating up my whole weekend!

Aisling O’Toole , Children’s Editorial / Sales Summer intern

Since I signed up to run the Vitality half-marathon in September, I have been using my Friday afternoons to get outside and do some long-distance runs in preparation. In particular, I have enjoyed exploring Richmond Park. In the photo is me (left) and my running buddy Emily (right), halfway through a 16km we did during which we were starstruck by a herd of deer! Emily helped me get into long-distance running throughout lockdown at university and I can’t wait to take on the 21.1km in September with her by my side.

Having some extra time during the week to be outside and get some endorphins flowing has been a really nice way to decompress and reflect on the weeks gone by throughout my internship this summer.

Sarah Bird, Warehouse Operative

I have been spending the last four Fridays taking the old tiles from my bathroom and retiling and plastering walls! It has been a labour of love — the walls had to be smoothed over and considering I am not a plasterer I feel I have done an okay job! My two sons and my son’s girlfriend also got involved, so it was a nice family effort.

In between, we managed to squeeze in a few days to the Lake District and found an infinity pool with the most amazing views. If anyone visits Lake Windermere, I would highly recommend a visit to Thirlmere infinity pool! It’s a big climb but well worth it.

Although the summer weather-wise has not been great, I am hoping it’ll improve so I can enjoy the garden and hopefully catch up on some reading!

Kritika Sharma SAP MM Senior Analyst

As part of the SAP Team in the Technology department, we opted not to take summer hours this year. However, we did not let that decision affect us and decided to enjoy every Friday as a work family.

On a recent summer Friday, we embarked on an eye-opening journey, venturing beyond our technology realm to visit our company’s expansive warehouse at Frating. The experience was a revelation, unveiling the intricacies of various business processes that we encounter daily, solely in the digital landscape. Witnessing the practical application of the work we support was truly awe-inspiring. Not only did we gain invaluable knowledge, but we also shared hearty laughter and inside jokes during the warehouse tour, further strengthening our bond as a cohesive unit. It’s incredible how camaraderie can flourish in the most unexpected moments! It was truly an enriching experience and a big shout-out to our amazing warehouse colleagues for allowing us to see this aspect of our company.

I am incredibly grateful to Penguin for letting me be part of such an inspiring team that continuously thrives on learning and togetherness as well as letting me experience an extraordinary way of celebrating summer hours.

Kate Armitage, HR Coordinator

I have spent my Friday afternoons horse riding around the countryside — it’s a stunning way to start the weekend and gives some amazing head space from the week of work. Next week I am taking my son on an adventure to Northumberland to see all the castles.

Summer hours have been an amazing help for me. With a busy workload, it’s wonderful to finish early and go for a gallop!

Navdeep Kanwar , Senior SAP SD Consultant

This summer has been special as I have been developing a reading habit — all thanks to the books I get in our Frating Warehouse staff sales!

I have started spending my evenings and weekends reading books and carried one along with me for a short summer getaway to enjoy reading it while relaxing on the beach.