Taking holiday is necessary for employee wellbeing.
Working Families’ annual campaign, National Work Life Week, is aimed at getting employers and employees discussing wellbeing and work-life balance – this year it will take place 2-6 October.
With research last year stating over half of employees (60%) have said their employer actively discourages them from taking time off, we at People Business want to talk about the importance of employers encouraging their people to use their annual leave and how it can help create a culture of wellbeing at work.
Holidays are not just for Christmas
We all know the benefits of taking a holiday – a good break provides a chance to switch off, step away from screens and spend quality time with friends and family. But do we truly understand the extent to which using leave can impact our mental and physical health? A recent Forbes article has stated some of these benefits in their article ‘Why taking vacation time could save your life’ including: stress reduction, increased mindfulness, improved heart health, a boost in brain power and better sleep.
People Business HR Consultant, Natalie Chotai states,
“There are many benefits to employees using their annual leave, both for the individual and the organisation more widely. It should be noted that annual leave is not a luxury – all UK employees are entitled to 28 days statutory leave and should be encouraged to take it. Nobody should be made to feel guilty for requesting time off. The more a company communicates the importance of using holiday entitlement and the importance of prioritising health and wellbeing, the more likely that company will create a culture that values its employees and their work-life balance.”
The great value of a good work-life balance
With two-thirds of UK workers feeling work-life balance is more valuable than pay, why wouldn’t you encourage your people to take the time off they are entitled to?
So, what can leaders/managers do to encourage people to use their holiday allowance?
1. Role model best practice
With most positive practices it helps if they are being role-modelled within the organisation. Leaders/managers should be reflecting on whether they themselves prioritise using their holiday entitlement, as their behaviour can impact the actions of others.
2. Keep communication clear
Clarity is key – when it comes to communicating the importance of employees using their holiday allowance, make sure messages are clear and easy to understand. Don’t put barriers in place by confusing people with overly complicated language or unnecessarily complex processes/procedures when it comes to leave entitlement.
3. Show interest
Recognise when people carry out the behaviour you’re trying to promote so others understand it’s encouraged. If employees book holiday/take a break, show an interest, ask if they are going anywhere nice/have anything planned etc.
4. Stay ahead of the game
Keep an eye on your employees’ annual leave and how much they’ve taken/have left to take – knowing the annual leave status of your team will not only help you manage work load and ensure cover for peak times, it also means you can send personalised reminders to those that have large amounts of holiday untaken.
5. Get feedback
If you’re concerned employees aren’t using their annual leave entitlement, ask for feedback. By reaching out and checking in with people you’ll be able to gather the information you need, rather than just making assumptions. Whether you send out an organisational wide survey or have 1:1s with certain individuals it’s good practice to keep communication on important topics open so you can act on responses, if required.
Try asking the following feedback question…
What more could we as an organisation be doing to encourage employees to prioritise using their holiday allowance?
If you’re interested in speaking with one of our experienced HR consultants or would like to find out about our employee wellbeing programme WorkWell please contact us.
