John Linden, an interior designer at MirrorCoop, a custom-mirror company in Los Angeles, was so desperate for employees to take time off that he began buying them tickets to local museums so they might consider fun and socially distanced activities for their days off. by. Unused vacations have cost U.S. businesses $224 billion a year. Drew Gieseke is an aPHR-certified marketing professional who writes about HR, compliance, and healthcare solutions. It gives both the employee and employer time for review. Be open and transparent. In this case, make a simple process for reaching out and interacting with coworkers to find coverage for time off. Taking time off is important and we want you to be able to use your holiday. Her complaint wasnt about working in quarantine per se, but about her frantic pace and static productivity. How Companies Can Encourage Employees to Use Their Vacation Time. In our company time off policy, it states that [X AMOUNT] of your annual leave will be carried over into the next year. But a template doesnt do anything to solve the root of your annual leave problem. Marketing | Branding | Blogging. Use imagery around the office. Weve given you three different templates above for informing someone about the leave theyre about to lose. If you have any queries, you can reach our department of [Mention the details] at [mention phone number] or send your questions through an email at [mention the email address]. Suddenly, a majority of people within an organization want to take time off. Use the following template to remind employees to check their PTO status before the end of the year: As we approach the end of the year, now is the time to check your PTO status to determine if you need to take any time off before your benefit resets. With nowhere to go and much to adjust to, most people have cancelled not only their travel reservations but their time off as well. If there is a negative narrative presented from either HR or management, employees will be fearful of requesting any time off. (Campaign Monitor,2019) 3. In many companies, employees may even need to find coverage while they're out so their workload isn't interrupted. "Then you know what they have planned, and you can encourage them to follow up on it and take the time off.". For additional queries, you can reach our department of [Mention the details] at [mention phone number] or directly through an email at [mention the email address]. Need help with a specific HR issue like coronavirus or FLSA? The PMQ teaches managers to lead effectively, giving HR more time to meet the demands of the workplace. On his next half day off, he plans to go for a bike ride and camp on his deck with his daughters. Tami Wolownik, human resources head at Siemens Mobility, North America, a transportation consulting firm in Alpharetta, Ga., suggests that managers encourage employees to take a day or two off to focus on family; provide caregiving; volunteer; engage in self-care and hobbies; or do traditional holiday activities such as wrapping presents, decorating their homes or baking cookies. By giving your team the tools they need to see how much leave they have left to use, and book new requests, youre giving them what they need to take their holiday leave throughout the year. }); if($('.container-footer').length > 1){ Finally, employers can simply remind employees to take their time off before the end of the year. The Laurel, Del.-based insurance agency has a "use it or lose it" policy and didn't want its 38 employees to forgo paid time off (PTO), even if they couldn't get away to their usual vacation haunts due to the pandemic. At Workhuman, surveys showed that employee stress was on the rise and vacation requests were running below 2019 levels. I'm saving my vacation time until Europe reopens!" My specific plans notwithstanding, my coworker's comments make sense. Wed like to avoid you losing your hard-earned time off. Education, taking time and truly respecting boundaries are essential to support an employee experience focused on well-being, thriving, inclusion and balance. It is the most valued," Reinberg said. That is why I would encourage employees to take days off by recommending they spend time with their families. Perhaps a team competition with a free lunch to the winning team . That also means that they're responsible for getting that work done and coordinating with other team members to make that happen. Fewer employees want to take vacations given that the pandemic has severely curtailed travel options. Members can get help with HR questions via phone, chat or email. For example, women academics are publishing fewer papers, presumably because of their disproportionate responsibility at home. When employees know that you value their time off and take it seriously, theyll be more likely to see the importance of taking time off themselves. Suggest shorter breaks more often, rather than weeklong vacations. This policy is based on mutual trust . Purpose - - The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of the employer's wage policy on the wage dynamics of vulnerable groups of employees at large firms, including younger employees, employees on fixed-term contracts, and employees who take parental leave. var currentUrl = window.location.href.toLowerCase(); Please reach out to your direct manager to see about booking time off ASAP to take a well-deserved holiday. "As employers, we have to be cognizant of the mental health impact that the pandemic is having," Pemberton said. Encourage managers to set an example by utilizing their vacation time. Even though staff taking holiday can be disruptive in the short term, encouraging staff to book annual leave actually holds many benefits to employers in the long run: Cut stress & burnout, and improve productivity. Encourage Employees to Take Vacation with a Mindful Vacation Policy An effective employee vacation policy isn't just about the accrual of leave balances and the scheduling of vacations. Likewise, as mentioned above, employers might want to completely rework their PTO benefits for the new year. They dont solve the root of your problem, which is finding out who on your team hasnt taken leave and giving your team a really easy way to book their holiday. Why it's in your interest for staff to take leave. var currentLocation = getCookie("SHRM_Core_CurrentUser_LocationID"); (Enovapoint, 2021) Using a name rather than a department in the sender line. Dear [Name of Manager], I would like to request for one week of leave from [DATE] to [DATE]. And there are plenty of ways to do so. Given below is a leave memo sample. advise the employee you would like them to take some of their annual leave, and. Overworked employees are unhappy, do not engage and do not contribute to a productive office environment. Part time employees accrue vacation on a pro-rated basis. You can reach me at [alternate contact info]. Be Happy to Help: You need to encourage staff members to use their PTO. "It's important for employers to say [to employees], 'We care about you,' " said Jackie Reinberg, North America consulting leader, absence, disability management and life, at London-based Willis Towers Watson. " Set the example for your employees Discuss the days you will be taking off and encourage your team to do the same. A policy that is clear and available to all shows that you, as the employer, value the importance of vacation time for employees. document.head.append(temp_style); You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. When the economy is unstable, employers are faced with difficult decisions around staffing, pay and benefits. When anyone on your team logs into Timetastic, theyll see their Wallchart: Their Wallchart tells them who has approved time off on the calendar, along with their own leave balance, so they can see how much leave they still have left to use. Employees need to feel that their organization understands work-life balance and that they are encouraged to take. Taking time off is something many people will avoid when job security is at the forefront of someones mind. Harvards Leslie Perlow showed how consultants at Boston Consulting Group made significant progress in job satisfaction, work-life balance, and collaboration and effectiveness by taking predictable time off from their cell phones while ensuring that their work is covered by a fellow team member during that time. 5 ways to encourage staff to take annual leave. Make sure your message is clear. Template for external staff letter. But encouraging your employees to use their time off is a win for you and for them. Our unlimited vacation company policy allows employees to take as much leave as they need. Design/methodology/approach - - The first step of the analysis identifies the wage policy . Sterling R. Morris, Intermountain Healthcare. Lisa Rabasca Roepe is a freelance writer based in Arlington, Va. You have successfully saved this page as a bookmark. Creating a COVID-19 vaccination policy is just the first stepnext you need to communicate the details to your employees. We would be very happy to give some of the savings we achieve in reduced electricity costs back to you. If it has been awhile since you took a vacation, start planning your time off. However, while the number of hours worked is soaring, peoples capacity to focus and produce quality work is diving. 2. Teams are feeling . Model time away, standardize. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM MENA "); This combination pushed the company to send an e-mail to its 600 employees last month asking each of them to take five days of vacation before the end of August, said Thats what we will discuss next. If you sense that your employee is stressed out and just not telling you,. Employees often postpone PTO because they worry about who will take up the slack while they are out, said LauraHandrick, a contributing HR professional at Choosing Therapy, a Brooklyn-based website that helps educate the public about the benefits of therapy. In this section, we show how Timetastic, our staff leave app, helps your team take their holidays throughout the year. It doesn't have to be outside their home, where they can get infected, but within the boundaries of their home where they can bond with one another. Drew Gieseke Smith speculated that employees didn't see the point in taking time off when they were working from home just to stay at home. Steve Pemberton, chief human resources officer at the company, which is co-headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, and Framingham, Mass. A company's leaders ultimately need to set the tone for the company's vacation policy. Follow this simple memo to staff on . Your session has expired. Build specialized knowledge and expand your influence by earning a SHRM Specialty Credential. Subject: Request for one week vacation leave. document.head.append(temp_style); You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. Down time is likely to be devoted to supporting good mental health rather than recreation or travel. This allows your employees to start thinking of dates they might like to request off. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concernsI look forward to hearing from you soon!. You may be setting the bar high with your hard work and dedication, but if you arent taking time off yourself (and showing others how its done), then they wont know how to break away from their official responsibilities. By providing a modest assortment of refreshments, snack options, and kitchen appliances, you'll make sure your employees feel like a critical part of the team. This allows HR to properly plan work schedules and project deadlines around planned employee absences. This can help managers optimize workload delegation. var temp_style = document.createElement('style'); Many HR professionals across the country are struggling with how to convince employees to take vacation. ". Employees may be weary because they dont want to appear unwilling to work for fear of losing their jobs or being furloughed. As a leader or HR professional, navigating how to go about asking employees to use their paid-time-off during these times can be a challenging task. HR leaders should also train managers on vacation policies, and encourage employees to speak to HR if they have concerns about taking time off. Through a combination of this survey data and individual coaching conversations, here are six strategies for managers on how to approach vacations when so much of the workforce is working from home. Consider providing informal time off, increasing caps on maximum vacation accrual, and encouraging people to take breaks. var currentUrl = window.location.href.toLowerCase(); Brett is a #SHRM22Influencers and has also been a keynote speaker at several state SHRM conferences around the topic of employee engagement. Please enable scripts and reload this page. part-a (to be filled up by. Select a Friday on the calendar and announce that the company will be giving everyone a paid day off. Here are five ways to encourage your employees to take a holiday leave: 1. "I think with remote work, it was hard to separate work from home life," Smith said. **Note to employees who are projected to have annual leave that otherwise would be subject to forfeiture For example, if you are going on vacation next week but want to respond to emails while youre gone, consider using an auto-reply that says something like: I am currently out of the office on vacation until July 1st. 4.2.2 Earning Vacation. The current crisis is creating more urgency and more work. By using a human resources information system (HRIS) like BerniePortal, HR can make this enhanced employee handbook available for everyone on the team with a few clicks. What you say is less important than what you do. if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-china.aspx") > -1) { Review this collection of common PTO questions and answers or watch the embedded HR Party of One video below to prepare accordingly. 0-5 years of service - [days] PTO days each year for exempt employees; [days] PTO days each year for nonexempt employees. A substantial number of companies (42 percent) have made or are planning changes to PTO, vacation and sick-day programs, according to Willis Towers Watson. Sometimes, it's also about finding ways to encourage employees to take well-deserved time off. Companies are offering a range of wellness options but also vary in their policies about taking time off, from we trust you, take care of what you need to to take some of your allotted vacation time to we need all hands on deck right now and we can figure out time off later.. It gives them space to refresh, a chance to reflect on their own personal growth and health, and helps them come back with renewed energy and focus. Download Template : (pdf, docs, ODT, RTF, txt, HTML, Epub, Etc), Subject: Letter to Encourage Employees to Take Vacations. $(document).ready(function () { It was hard for all survey respondents to know what to do with an extended vacation of more than a week. For some companies, this situation might not prove difficult whatsoeverit's entirely possible that November and December are slow periods for plenty of employers. Because paid time off is offered optionally and at employers discretion, employers have the ability to block off periods of time when requests wont be approved (or will be approved in limited quantities or under special circumstances). Several of my clients executives and managers, along with their human resource partners are increasingly seeking guidance on how to unplug and recharge and encourage their employees to do the same. By intentionally taking time off and fully disconnected from work, I signal to others that it's okay to do the same. Let them know that vacation can improve their relationships at work, as well as their productivity and morale. That said, human resources personnel should also communicate regular reminders to employees about making the most of their PTO throughout the year. You know who hasnt taken enough time off, and you dont have to trawl through spreadsheets to find out, since its delivered directly to you. If you're going to be on vacation for a week or two, then it's essential you set up your vacation email. Not to mention that according to SHRM, when employees take PTO, theyre often more productive and exhibit lower stress and better mental health. use up to four hours of administrative leave time, or your sick time. On the other hand, your business operations may permit you to allow employees to take vacation time on a day-by-day basis. Please try again later. These include [dates]. You can show them that work-life balance is important by: Employees are busy, and it can be easy to forget about the vacation days theyve accrued over the past year. }); if($('.container-footer').length > 1){ But we know that unplugging from work is important.' By having these conversations, you can better understand why your employees arent taking time off, and what factors are preventing them from doing so. You should send employees monthly reminders about how much time off they have available for use in the following year. var temp_style = document.createElement('style'); Employees receive their allotted PTO at the beginning of the calendar year. We know it can be difficult to remember, especially when youre in the middle of a busy day, but taking small breaks throughout the day will actually help keep you and your employees feeling energized, happy and inspired. Employees who take regular time off are less stressed, less likely to burn out, and better equipped to find solutions when problems arise. Encouraging employees getting fresh air and exercise during work hours through outdoor breaks or fitness classes held onsite (many companies offer these types of perks). Otherwise, theyll burn out quickly (and possibly quit). The center, which provides counseling services to women with unplanned pregnancies, depends on volunteers to help carry out its mission. If workers take 29% less vacation for the entire year, this translates into about $60B in additional accrued PTO liability. According to WorldatWork, about $365B of PTO was accrued in 2019 across all companies and organizations in the US. If employees are constantly connected to their colleagues and the office, theyre more likely to feel like they need to be at their desks answering emails and taking calls. "People seem to say, 'I don't want to go to work today,' " she said, adding that the summer weather has also pushed people to use their PTO. Neither members nor non-members may reproduce such samples in any other way (e.g., to republish in a book or use for a commercial purpose) without SHRMs permission. Sample employee email to encourage them to get vaccinated . Learn if they are planning any fun trips, and remind them to book their vacation as far in advance as possible so you can be ready for it. ref: ltc sanction order no dt (copy to be enclosed) note: this bill should be prepared in duplicate-one for payment and the other as office copy. This program has been very successful in encouraging actual vacation time, which helps our people come back well-rested and ready to continue on our mission. Please log in as a SHRM member before saving bookmarks. You don't need us to tell you that taking time off should reduce stress. Consider the following scenarios HR may face during the holiday season: PTO tools with at-a-glance calendars allow for easier staffing decisions, but other employers still may want to audit and update their time off policy to save resources in the long run. Note that due to the busy nature of this time of year, some requests may not be approved, depending on availability and workload. We really want our employees to take their leave its yours to take and we hope you enjoy it. There are many good reasons to choose to get a vaccine , but the most important one is that . HBR Learnings online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Team Management. Employees need time to rest and enjoy themselves outside work. As of [DD/MM/YY], you have an annual leave balance of [X DAYS /X HOURS]. You can also use these meetings as an opportunity to motivate your employees to take a break by explaining how important it is for their health and productivity. Studies show that almost 75% of employees do not take all of their allotted paid time off (PTO.) Of this total, $210B was used and $155B was unused. Many HR professionals report that they've struggled with how to address this trend because vacation is such a sensitive topic. First, provide clarity about your time-off policy and any company, government, or health official guidelines and restrictions. Limit the rollover of unused paid leave days. Unsubscribe anytime. By involving the entire team, you make taking breaks part of the culture along with supporting and being generous with each other. Companies need to ensure that they consider the rights and benefits of the employees whenever certain policies are planned, created and developed. 1. ", The request for employees to take vacation "was met with unbridled appreciation," he said, adding that "acknowledgment is important to people.". "Time off gives you the opportunity to recharge. If you have any questions about your leave balance, or how to book leave, please reach out to your manager. The first step to dismissing any negative perceptions about taking time off is to reassure your employees that their jobs are safe. $('.container-footer').first().hide(); Sending it in the morning leaves time for your coworkers to get any clarification before you leave. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies. Working from home doesnt mean working all the time. This is the same information in the Burnout Board, but its sent directly to you, so you dont risk overlooking it. For further queries, you can reach our management department at [mention phone number] or directly through an email [mention email address]. Here are six strategies on how managers can approach vacations when so much of the workforce is working from home. Project: Time Off's study found that employees who take all of their vacation time increase their chances of getting promoted and getting a raise by 6.5 percent, compared with people who. Here are five tactics that can make a difference: 1. You should also include any rules on how many people from a team/the organisation can be away simultaneously. 3. By setting out a clear policy and making leave easy to book, business owners can set a precedent that taking leave from work is encouraged. "It ended up that a lot of people were not able to use their vacation," said Barb Malek, the center's operations director. Find the latest news and members-only resources that can help employers navigate in an uncertain economy. However, when a manager (i.e. Find the latest news and members-only resources that can help employers navigate in an uncertain economy. How to Encourage Your Team to Use Employee Vacation Time 1. It can cause no symptoms, some symptoms, serious illness . This is just a friendly reminder that, as of [DD/MM/YY], you have a remaining leave balance of [X DAYS / X HOURS]. Here's how you can encourage your employees to take their vacation time this year, even if it's only a staycation: Set an example. The best way for employers to encourage employees to use their time off wisely is by creating these days themselvesnot just for their own benefit but also for those who enjoy working at home or remotely from home offices. Virtual & Washington, DC | February 26-28, 2023. It outlines the employee's intended days off and their plan for coverage at work. Start your free one-month trial today. She also suggested that employees reduce their workweek by taking a Friday or Monday off each week until the end of the year. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM China "); And finally, activate your team by creating a plan where work is still accomplished, even as people are offline. Helping to Minimize Lost Days Dear Dean, Welcome back! 3. "When managers are intentional about making time for themselves during the dayblocking time to eat lunch, regularly scheduled personal development, being strict with their work and nonwork hourstheir teams have followed suit," Winn said. Take a stand against this trend of all work and little play. On A Mission to Help Small Businesses to Be a Brand. Step 3 - Create your direction to take annual leave due to an excessive leave balance letter . It also shows your employees that you don't need to spend needless extra time in the office to look busy if you're delivering on your goals. Have a Clear Employee Vacation Policy First, make sure your employee vacation policy is clearly outlined. Even if our employees work from home, we ask when they are taking a 'vacation' even if it's a staycation. First, when you use Timetastic, you get access to your teams Burnout Board. Instead, encourage your team to take shorter breaks more often an afternoon every week or a full day here and there. You have always been a very loyal, hard-working, and passionate employee of our team (mention the details), and you have worked for a long time without taking any type of leaves. Taking time off might seem like an unnecessary luxury given that we all have deadlines looming over our heads all day long; however, these breaks allow both employers and employees to get away from our desks so they can relax and come back refreshed when they return. Also, push your team to unplug for at least a day on the weekend, never checking any work messages. But do your employees? - John Lie-Nielsen, One Park Financial 5.

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