Ah, August. Who doesn’t associate this month with blistering heat and lazy days spent lounging under the sun?
Well, a lot of people, apparently. The annual data on vacation time and holidays is in for the year, and it’s not good. According to Allianz’s annual Vacation Confidence IndexOpens a new window , more is more: more than a third of American workers have not taken vacation in more than two years, while more than half haven’t taken a vacation in the past year.
The reason? Almost half say they don’t have the money to spend on vacation.
Since when are vacations about spending a lot of money? We may live in a world that bolsters a sparkling lifestyle ideal, but let’s be honest, the luxury life is not available to most. And that’s ok because, as any good HR manager knows, the value of time off isn’t in jet-setting around the globe staying in five-stars hotels.
It’s about taking time away from work — to recuperate, to reset. And therein also lies the value to the company: A well-rested employee is a more productive employee, and an employee who’s happier with the workplace is a loyal one.
‘But there’s so much to do!’ You protest.
Nope. That right there is just a sign that your company is letting one of its key responsibilities slide. Herewith, a guide to how to do vacation right — and how to do it wrong:
Vacation
Please. Take. Vacation. Encourage taking vacations; make holidays a normal part of office culture; brag if you must. But take time off. Yes, there’s loads of evidence supporting the idea that taking vacation leads to greater successOpens a new window and productivity in the workplace.
So maybe companies encouraging vacations is self-serving. But who cares? Take a second and think about the last vacation you had. The days upon return, the way you approached your work then. Statistics aside, I think anyone who is being honest knows that vacation does the mind good.
Don’t stress about travel
Back to my previous point: Vacation doesn’t have to mean a major extravaganza on the beautiful tropical beach of wherever. The point isn’t to share your good fortune on social media. It’s mainly about getting away from work — near or far. Go to the local pool. Check out the local park. Get into a pick-up volleyball game. Lounge with a novel in the middle of the day. Here’s what matters: Do nothing work-related. Extra points if it’s screen-free.
If you’re on email or checking work-related social media feeds or even reading news about your industry, then you’re not really appreciating the meaning of vacation: no work.
Create the conditions for taking vacations
That brings me to the point at which the individual overlaps with the structural: Planning vacations is just as important for companies as it is for individuals. Have contingency plans in place to cover for vacationing staff. If they’re truly irreplaceable and plan to be gone for weeks at a time, designate a contact person who can liase with that person’s contacts until they return. This is good for maintaining relationships; it can be a little off-putting when a potential client, for example, gets automatic away message reply to an email. Maintain clear policies about how to structure vacations, and send a clear message about them at the beginning of every year.
Now, bon voyage — even if your journey is just to your garden.