With the first day of summer approaching, many leaders are anticipating and planning for family vacations and paid time off. Or are they? A new survey finds that only 25 percent of US employees took all of their earned vacation days last year. Around the globe, an Oxford Economist study found that only 42% of employees use all their paid time off.
These days, in our ever-connected world, it is often difficult to draw the line between personal and work time. And, vacations don’t necessarily mean getting away from work. Over 50% of workers who do take vacations admit to working while on vacation and 24% report being contacted by their boss or colleague about a work-related matter while taking time off. When the situation continues, especially workers who are in the 25-34 age group, employees begin to use paid time off to look for other jobs (Glassdoor, 2014).
Leaders know the cost of replacing valued employees and it is well documented that refreshing the mind with time off leads to greater worker productivity, more creativity and innovation, less stress, better health and higher engagement scores. Yet, since the number of employees who fail to use all of their vacation time is on the rise, what are leaders to do?
While individuals have considerable power and responsibility for improving their own experience, senior leaders and managers play a critical role in supporting the creation of a Great Place to Work and Vacation!
Download our Three Keys to Making the Most of Paid Time Off to see what you can do as a leader.
For more information on creating a great place to work, contact Gerri Steadman.