Why you should encourage your employees to take time off in 2020.

Why you should encourage your employees to take time off in 2020.

No matter what role you are in, seniority level you have accomplished or the number of skills required to complete your job, all staff need some well-deserved time off. Time off for staff can mean many different things, it could be snuggling up by the fire with a good book or taking part in an extreme sport. For most, it means taking time to recharge their batteries, rest and spend some quality time with family and friends.

One of the many benefits of being part of the EU is the generous holiday laws. By being part of the EU, workers on a 40 hour contract are legally obliged to 28 days’ of paid annual leave a year. Comparing this to the United States which is the only developed country in the world to not mandate paid time off. How awful does that sound?

You would assume that UK employees would take every last minute off that they have available, but surprisingly this does not seem to be the case. A study suggests that close to 40 per cent of EU workers don’t take their full annual leave entitlement each year. Do you make up part of this statistic? In a previous article, we have written we discuss the need for a healthy work-life balance, but if we cannot commit to take the time off to have that balance there is no way that this can be achieved.

So as we kick off a new decade, I think now is a good time to share some reasons why it is important to encourage staff members to book time off in 2020.

Planned Time Off = Less Unplanned Time Off

I think it is safe to say that every business owner wants their company to be successful and the majority of employees want to best they can at their role, but a common misconception is that the more time spent on work equates to more work being done.

An overload of work will begin to have a negative effect on both your business and your employee’s mental health and well-being. The benefits of a shortened working week from the traditional ‘5 days’ are beginning to show in various trials and studies and working from home not only gives employees the flexibility to plan their work life and personal life but also allows them to work comfortably.

Shortened working weeks, flexible working hours and working from home can help with getting staff to achieve a better work-life balance and complete their work more efficiently and to a better standard. Although to truly improve the quality of your staffs work it is important they take the required time off spaced out throughout the year, this will help with an overload of work but also will reduce the chances of workers becoming burnt out.

An increase in productivity?

So what happens when a staff member returns back from their holidays? No matter whether the employee’s time away from work was spent on a sunny beach or curled up watching Netflix, these days away from their desk can do a lot for rejuvenating an employee’s work ethic. Creating a total disconnect from your work life increases work productivity, relaxation and overall happiness. Studies have shown that companies which insist on taking mandatory holidays have an overall happier and more productive workforce.

Studies show that 60+ per cent of unplanned time off work is due to some form of psychological stress or burnout. In total, this equates to over $350 billion in losses annually for US businesses alone. These stats show that idea of work smarter is much more important that working longer..

A rested mind is a creative mind.

The creative aspect of a business is what helps grow the company, whether its new sales method, a quirky marketing campaign or an innovative way to complete a task, the creativity within your business is what will make or break your company.

For an employee to be able to take a step back, let their mind daydream and wander to help think of problems in a different way is vital. This is only achievable when the mind is well-rested. Three hour-long meetings that go into employees lunch hours or last over 5PM usually do not help with having a clear and rested mind.

Are you catching my drift?

Do you understand the point I am trying to make? We need to change our mindset on paid time off, it seems that many of us still think that getting less sleep or taking less time off work will help increase our productivity. This is not the case, in most circumstances taking more paid time off will not only prevent unplanned leave but will increase productivity and encourage creativity amongst employees.

Is this an issue which you think could affect your workplace? Want to stay on top of employee absence and holidays? The oneHR software can solve all of your HR issues.

If you would like more information on upgrading your HR system please contact Andrew our ‘Head of Opportunities’ at oneHR.

LinkedIn: Andrew Hoult

Contact Number: 07785426659

Email: contact@onehrsoftware.com

Phone: 0845 509 6854

Twitter: @oneHR_

LinkedIn: @oneHR