By Chad Kearns
Sparked, Fired Up! Culture’s every-other-week newsletter, is focused on what drives culture and engagement in the workplace. This newsletter is for leaders who are ready to get intentional about bringing their team together, building engagement, and harnessing the power of culture to build high-performing teams. Sign up here to get every edition of Sparked delivered straight to your inbox.
Engage your Team by Encouraging and Honoring Vacation Time
Summer is right around the corner and while you and many of your team members may have their vacation plans set for the upcoming months, it’s likely that more than a few of your team members don’t have any time off coming up on the calendar.
Did you know that 46% of the workforce in the United States does not use all of the paid time off they are offered by their employer?
What are the leading reasons why team members don’t take time off?
- 52% of workers don’t feel like they need time off
- 49% of workers worry that they might fall behind in their work
- 43% of workers feel badly that co-workers may take on additional work due to their absence.
Time off and the opportunity to step away from work to truly disconnect is healthy for everyone, regardless of their role within an organization. The ability to disconnect from work offers the opportunity for greater creativity and productivity once back on the job. (For better or worse, my best ideas tend to pop up when I’m away from work and I know I am not the only one that is the case for.)
Unfortunately, leaders don’t always encourage time off for their team members and when team members are on vacation, that time is not always honored.
Today’s edition of Sparked focuses on two action items that leaders can harness to capture the power and engagement opportunity that comes with vacation time.
Encouraging vacation time well requires leaders to be proactive, and to some degree, hold team members accountable for taking vacation time.
Honoring vacation time well requires leaders to give their team members the opportunity, ability, and encouragement to truly disconnect during their vacation time.
Leaders who can effectively build a culture where vacation time is encouraged, honored, and celebrated are build a work environment where team members are more likely to engage, buy in, and deliver impactful outcomes when on the job.
Looking for ways to fire up your team members and build a high-performing team?
Encourage and honor your team’s vacation time.
Take Action to Encourage and Honor Vacation Time
Still trying to figure out where to start? Here’s how to take action today:
- Set the Example: A great place to start is to set the example you want to see from others. When was your last vacation away from work? When are your next vacation days? When you’re off, are you really off? The example that you set when on vacation time sets the expectation for how others are able to disconnect (or not) from work when on vacation.
- Get Proactive: Take a look at your team’s upcoming out-of-office calendar. Does everyone have time planned off in the months ahead? For those who don’t, bring the subject up in your next 1:1 meeting with them. Show that you are invested in them using their time off. Your interest showcases your encouragement.
- Ensure Team Coverage: To honor vacation time, leaders should provide the opportunity for team members to disconnect from work fully. When they fully disconnect and for how long they fully disconnect may be impacted by the needs of the team. Team members also may not want to fully disconnect. Either way, provide them with the option and flexibility to fully disconnect, ensuring that if they do, you and the rest of the team are well-equipped to cover what’s needed in their absence.
- Celebrate Vacation Time Being Taken: How you communicate about others on your team being away showcases (for better or worse) how you really feel about your team taking vacation time. Again, time off for everyone is a good thing when it is scheduled well and prepared for well. Find different ways to celebrate those who take time off and take advantage of the opportunity to disconnect.
Further Exploration on Encouraging and Honoring Vacation Time
- Encourage Your Employees to Take Time Off This Year
- Why it’s so hard for US workers to ask for time off
- 5 Ways Employee Vacations Have Bottom-line Benefits
Need help developing actionable plans for creating a culture of excellence in your organization?
Check out our Fired-Up! Culture Index today
