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Easter is behind us, which means summer is in our sights, and vacation season is just around the corner.
From when we are small children, we are programmed to look forward to summer vacation. And for most of us, we carry that into adulthood.
I’m always sad when I see an employee who never takes a vacation.
Often, these employees either do not have a life outside of work or they have so much of their self-worth tied to their job that they can’t seem to break away, even for a short period of time.
I was astounded to learn that 48% of employees don’t take all of their allocated vacation days. Americans left 765 million vacation days unused!
Of the employees who don’t take all of their vacation time, 12% say they don’t take their vacation because their boss discourages them from taking time off!
This is a sad state because we know that vacations can have a very positive effect on employees.
6 Reasons To Encourage Employees to Take A Vacation
1. A Vacation is Something to Look Forward to
Who doesn’t like a vacation? Vacations give us something to look forward to.
In today’s business environment, with all of us trying to do more with less, the day-to-day stresses mount up, and having something to look forward to is really important.
I’ve learned that planning a vacation and looking forward to it is almost as much fun as the vacation itself.
Even if the vacation is spent at home catching up on home projects, it distracts from the usual routine and can be very therapeutic.
For instance, one year, I planned a staycation just to get caught up on cleaning out closets, organizing drawers, and decluttering my home.
I can not tell you how therapeutic it was to return to work knowing my home was neat, organized, and decluttered!
2. Promotes A Healthy Work-life Balance
Maintaining a balance in our lives away from work helps us to be more productive at work – because we know things are in order on the home front.
Anyone who has worked while raising a family understands that young parents are pulled in several directions.
We should never underestimate the challenges that come with raising a family and juggling work and personal responsibilities.
When work is the only thing someone thinks about, they have the potential to get a little off-center – resulting in their family and their productivity suffering.
Balance is the key, and productive work environments result from loyal employees with a healthy work-life balance.
3. Recharge the Battery
I find vacations refreshing and allow me to recharge my mental batteries.
I do this by intentionally doing something fun and very different from what I do at work.
The goal is to use a different side of your brain to think about other things.
I enjoy traveling because it helps me gain new perspectives.
Traveling doesn’t have to be expensive. A weekend camping trip can do wonders for your mental health.
I also like to catch up on my reading when I go on vacation.
Those professional journals sometimes stack up; vacation time is an excellent time to catch up.
Enjoying a hobby is also a great way to recharge the battery!
I have taken up the game of golf in the last couple of years and really enjoy golfing as a distraction and mental refresh.
It is difficult to think about work when you are focused on hitting the ball!
Encourage employees to enjoy life outside of work; you might be surprised at how much more productive they are when they are on the clock.
4. Nurture Important Relationships
My husband and I have always considered vacations an investment in our family and our relationship.
When our kids were small, we tried to go somewhere every year, even if it was camping or a staycation.
We found these times nurtured and helped develop our relationships.
I’ve also traveled with friends and have found the same thing.
When you spend that much time with people, bonding occurs, and these relationships keep us mentally strong and stable.
For employees who may not have family in town, encourage them to get involved in a community volunteer opportunity, and use vacation time to develop relationships outside of work.
These relationships are the foundation for balanced and stable employees.
5. Enjoy the Fruit of Our Labor
Anyone fortunate enough to have a paid vacation as part of their benefits package should consider it a gift that is a reward for their hard work.
We should enjoy our vacations because we deserve it!
Help employees understand that you offer a paid time off program because you value them and want them to enjoy time away from the office!
6. Improved Mental Health
Vacation is an essential part of maintaining good mental health.
Clearing our minds and refreshing ourselves mentally is very important for those who are in this for the long haul!
A vacation is a time to focus on something other than work. This time away can clear our minds and help us to return to work with a clearer head and fresh perspectives.
How The Manager Can Help
Lead by example. Employees will often follow the lead of their managers. Lead by example and take your vacation. Share the importance of a vacation for your own work-life balance and productivity. When employees see you making a vacation a priority, they will follow suit.
Cover employee responsibiliites. Employees hesitate to take a vacation because they worry about the workload when they return. Create a process to cross-train employees so you have a group who can cover responsibilities when they are out of the office.
Provide resources for vacation planning. Ask your HR department to create a resource area for vacation planning. Include vacation guides, travel tips, and access to online planning tools.
Celebrate the vacation experience. Ask employees to share their experiences and photos from a long-awaited vacation. Celebrate the experience with other staff by hosting a lunch and learn to help encourage others to partake in vacations.
We Strive For A Balanced Workforce
As managers, we aim to maintain a happy, healthy, and productive workforce.
Encouraging employees to use their vacation time and enjoy life outside of work is one way to do that!
Question? How many unused vacation days do your employees have?