Remember the days when you were a student, and that meant you got seasonal breaks to rest and recharge?
Ah, to be young. Aside from the occasional government holiday, for most employees, getting a chunk of time away from work requires using vacation days.
The problem? Though organizations are required to offer employees paid time off (PTO) each year, not everyone feels comfortable taking it. Nearly 50% of U.S. workers who receive PTO from their employer – whether for vacation, doctor’s appointments, or minor illnesses – take fewer days off than they are offered, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. And on top of not using all of their PTO, roughly half still find themselves working on their vacation days.
Between being part of an environment that doesn’t encourage taking time off when needed, to feeling guilty about leaving work behind for coworkers, to trying to save PTO days for emergencies, most employees have a list of reasons why they’re not taking advantage of their paid vacation days.
But when we don’t take time to rest and recover, we risk burnout. And there’s nothing less productive, and frankly costly, than a burnt-out workforce.
So, as a leader, how can you encourage your employees to take time for themselves in order to maximize efficiency?
Address the topic in group settings
When you talk about planning time off in front of your whole team, it instantly makes the concept feel more openly accepted. So, in your next group meeting, leave time at the end to discuss the topic and emphasize the importance of taking vacations. Let your employees know that you recognize their hard work and want to make sure they feel comfortable taking time for themselves when they need it.
Actively check in
In the next few weeks, set aside some time to review each of your employees’ available vacation days and keep an eye out for anyone who hasn’t taken time off in a while. Then, allot time in your next one-on-one sync to check in. Emphasize that you support them taking time off to recharge, and create space for them to share why they aren’t using their vacation days in order to effectively address the root of the problem. For example, if your team member feels like there’s no one on the team they trust to step in while they’re gone, build an action plan together for them to train another team member on their duties. This way, your employee can feel more comfortable stepping away when they need some time to disconnect, and you can demonstrate that you are here to help them do so.
Set up a vacation calendar
Putting together a vacation calendar is a great way to give your team members the flexibility needed to plan ahead and ensure there aren’t too many people taking off at the same time. Additionally, it can offer some inspiration, because when people see their teammates planning time away, they’ll likely be more comfortable taking time off for themselves.
And remember, there’s no need to ask employees to list where they are going on this calendar because a relaxing staycation is a perfectly acceptable way to spend time off. Keep it simple, and use this shared calendar to align schedules and send the right message to your team.
Help them prepare
When things at work are under control, it’s much easier for your team members to allow themselves to unplug and actually disconnect on their days off. So, encourage your employees to schedule time with you before an upcoming vacation to walk through all of their tasks together and prioritize their workload. Additionally, ask them to identify relevant teammates who can serve as a point of contact for each of their projects while they’re gone to ensure everyone is adequately prepared and no one needs to disturb them during their time off. This allows them to leave feeling confident about where everything stands.
Respect boundaries
As a manager, it’s your responsibility to let your employees disconnect. If you’re contacting them after hours or while they’re away, they’ll feel pressure to respond. So, make an active effort to avoid reaching out to them while they’re off unless it’s absolutely urgent. When you make it clear that you don’t expect to hear from them when they’re not working, you can help them effectively unplug and recharge.
Lead by example
When you manage a team, you set the tone for what’s considered appropriate work behavior. That means if you make yourself completely available during a vacation, your employees will feel pressure to do the same. So, try to set a healthy standard and allow yourself to really unplug when you’re out of office. A great way to do this is by designating a trusted team member as the point of contact while you’re gone, and giving them your personal phone number so that they can determine if something needs to escalate to you. In case of something urgent, they can reach you directly by phone, so you won’t need to check work messages during your time off.
