I will be traveling to visit my parents/taking family vacation time. Here are six strategies on how managers can approach vacations when so much of the workforce is working from home. 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. Fewer employees want to take vacations given that the pandemic has severely curtailed travel options. The current crisis is creating more urgency and more work. Offer Time Off As A Sign Of Appreciation Practice patience and sensitivity. There is no maximum vacation recommendation , though there may be more and longer conversations for unique situations in which a teammate might want to take . Posted on August 4, 2021 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. "I would encourage every employee to take the time off that they are entitled to and deserve." Employees are also reminded of the upcoming deadlines to use personal holiday hours or vacation carryover. It's important to start having conversations about holiday plans with staff now, even if it's just small talk about how they plan to take a break before the end of the year, MirrorCoop's Linden said. For some companies, this situation might not prove difficult whatsoeverit's entirely possible that November and December are slow periods for plenty of employers. They are now allowed to carry over two weeks instead of just one. Implement rollover limits. Hi everyone. Some employees have taken limited or even no time off this year because they feel as though they are restricted with travel options," said Tracy Winn, SHRM-SCP, a senior HR advisor at G&A Partners, a payroll and HR firm in Houston. How to Encourage Your Team to Use Employee Vacation Time 1. If there is a negative narrative presented from either HR or management, employees will be fearful of requesting any time off. Creating a COVID-19 vaccination policy is just the first stepnext you need to communicate the details to your employees. Create a cafe-like office. For instance, you can declare a day off for the entire organization: One of my clients, analytics company, Sisense, has scheduled a monthly company-sponsored, company-wide self-care day, where nobody works. "[Time off] is the most emotional benefit we have. That is why I would encourage employees to take days off by recommending they spend time with their families. You can use our sample leave of absence forms to encourage employees to take time off work. Leave request email template. The request is automatically sent to the right person usually their direct manager, but this can be anyone you want in charge of reviewing holiday requests. These days will be scheduled so they dont interfere with any other company-wide events, such as annual meetings and retreats, and will allow everyone in your organization a chance to relax, recharge and reconnect with family or friends. Youll feel so much better when you get back than if you hadnt taken any time at all, and your coworkers will appreciate having someone healthy around them again! **Note to employees who are projected to have annual leave that otherwise would be subject to forfeiture $(document).ready(function () { 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). 2. Please log in as a SHRM member. 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]. An example of this could simply be sending a calendar invitation via email to remind your employees that you will be out of the office. In this section, we show how Timetastic, our staff leave app, helps your team take their holidays throughout the year. And if most of your team waits until the end of the year to take their leave, youll struggle to accommodate everyone and end up with an unhappy team, wasted time off, or too much carry-over into the next year. They can do this through their browser or through our mobile app anytime they want. One way to encourage employees to take some time off is to have one-on-one meetings with them and discuss the importance of taking a break and enjoying some time off. But how can they do that if they dont know how to disconnect from work? First, when you use Timetastic, you get access to your teams Burnout Board. According to global staffing firm Robert Half, 28 percent of U.S. office workers anticipated taking fewer days off in the summer months compared to last year because of concerns about COVID-19. 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. However, when a manager (i.e. It was hard for all survey respondents to know what to do with an extended vacation of more than a week. This is especially helpful in getting high performers or those gunning for a promotion to take vacation time. This was the concern one of my clients recently. However, while the number of hours worked is soaring, peoples capacity to focus and produce quality work is diving. Take a stand against this trend of all work and little play. Summary. A smaller share (16 percent) are requiring employees to take vacation time, and another 22 percent are planning to take or considering that approach. Others may channel their anxiety about the world into their work so they are reluctant to take time off. Policy brief & purpose. Home Letters Templates Encouragement Letters. Dear (mention the name of the recipient). Redefine vacations to mean more than just recreation and travel to include family time, caregiving, and self-care. At this time I am proudly able to announce the reopening of Our Business on June 05, 2020. 5 ways to encourage staff to take annual leave. All PTO requests and approvals will be tracked using [system]. Knowing who on your team is at risk of burnout or who has a lot of leave left to use is a huge win. Overworked employees are unhappy, do not engage and do not contribute to a productive office environment. In many companies, employees may even need to find coverage while they're out so their workload isn't interrupted. This works out to a monthly accrual of 1.25 vacation days during the first year and 1.6667 vacation days per month after the first year. Downloadable (with restrictions)! But companies should encourage their employees to take and enjoy time off in order to promote employee wellness, happiness, and productivity in the workplace. Here are 12 ways you can proactively encourage employees to take time off work: Contents hide 1 Encourage Employees to Take a Digital Detox 2 Remind Employees about the Benefits of Taking Time Off 3 Do What You Preach 4 Make it a Habit to Unplug from Work Often 5 Create Company Holidays 6 Show Employees that Work-life Balance is Important You will need to demonstrate through your own actions that youre serious about time off. But, according to Balsamiq founder Giacomo Guilizzoni, "It instills an opposite kind of guilt: If I don't take my 20 days I will set a bad example for my team." Make unlimited vacation time work David Zaitz/Getty Images. We have noticed that you have been working tirelessly for a long time without taking any type of leaves. Some organizations, such as the Assure Women's Center in Omaha, Neb., opted to let employees carry over more vacation time. Many HR professionals across the country are struggling with how to convince employees to take vacation. Research shows that, thanks to remote work, we're spending an average. Here are five ways to encourage your employees to take a holiday leave: 1. Set email communication a part of your corporate image . 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. Im writing to remind you that we have an annual leave policy. Otherwise, theyll burn out quickly (and possibly quit). agree on a time for the employee to take the leave. Here are a few samples to help you draft the perfect vacation request letter. But do your employees? 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. Due to the sluggish economy, employees hesitate to take time off, and/or do not disconnect 100% while on vacation, often checking in once a day or scanning emails.Failing to take vacation days can result in higher levels of stress and greater levels of disengagement at work. "With the holidays coming up, we'll continue to remind employees that taking time to recharge benefits everyone, and it will help them be in a better mindset for what will hopefully be a much less chaotic 2021," she said. Its also important to provide employees with references to any government or health official guidance, so they can also take that into account. Sometimes, it's also about finding ways to encourage employees to take well-deserved time off. Some businesses may close down for a week or two at a certain time of the year, and that period is everyone's . Sending it in the morning leaves time for your coworkers to get any clarification before you leave. 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. Thank you for a great year. Your Burnout Board highlights who on your team is overdue for a break: Your Burnout Board tells you how much time off someone has left to use, when the last time they took a day off was, and if they have any bookings coming up. 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. "Managers who meet with their staff prior to them taking PTO can brainstorm with them about who in the company is best to take over each task, project or client while they're out," Handrick said. In an age where 24/7 connectivity and increasing workloads are the norms, it can be hard for employees to take time off. 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. On A Mission to Help Small Businesses to Be a Brand. var currentUrl = window.location.href.toLowerCase(); You, your team, and your directors. Each and every employee of an organization work hard day and night every single day to produce the exact results that the corporation wants and make sure that the reputation of the organization always remains clean and only achievements are what that the organization gets. A company's leaders ultimately need to set the tone for the company's vacation policy. Ease the numbness induced with back-to-back video calls and a long to-do list by reinventing vacations and time off, and encouraging your team to do the same. Set the example for your employees Discuss the days you will be taking off and encourage your team to do the same. At Workhuman, surveys showed that employee stress was on the rise and vacation requests were running below 2019 levels. Long Vacation Message. You have always been a diligent, hard-working, and loyal team employee (mention the details). Leaders can show employees they value this by taking time off themselves. This will help ensure that your employees use their paid time off and dont miss out on valuable 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. Be Happy to Help: You need to encourage staff members to use their PTO. 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 Steve Pemberton, chief human . A vacation leave letter is a written request from employees to their company asking for approval for time off. With the initial adrenaline rush of the crisis passed, vast numbers of my clients are reporting that they and their teams feel flayedand exhausted to the point of being useless, work demands are on the rise, and the time saved commuting has been converted to meetings that creep earlier into the day and fill the space between dinner and (a too-late) bedtime. "It ended up that a lot of people were not able to use their vacation," said Barb Malek, the center's operations director. Please note that all such forms and policies should be reviewed by your legal counsel for compliance with applicable law, and should be modified to suit your organizations culture, industry, and practices. You want your employees to take a break from their work and enjoy the world outside. This allows HR to properly plan work schedules and project deadlines around planned employee absences. Second, you also get Timetastics Firewire, which is sent out quarterly to you and any department managers you have on your team. But ideally, no one will ever be on your Burnout Board. Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor. We strongly recommend taking vacation time during this pandemic. Employees need to feel that their organization understands work-life balance and that they are encouraged to take. Though annual leave is part of the compulsory benefits of a regular employee, it is always a good gesture when you planned it ahead of time and inform you immediate superior about it.These are the things that you need to consider before writing the letter: 1. For more info on handling staff leave, check out our articles on: Our customers tell us what makes them tick. (See the bottom section for more information about this process.). Sample email. 10 Types of Leaves to Include in Your Leave Policy, How to Manage Remote Employees over Microsoft Teams. When people arent taking their leave, it can be for several reasons, including: Thankfully, there is a better way using a staff leave app that makes it easy for you to see who needs a holiday and makes it easier for them to book it. Gain the intel you need now to successfully anticipate and navigate employment laws, stay compliant and mitigate legal risks. Lisa Rabasca Roepe is a freelance writer based in Arlington, Va. You have successfully saved this page as a bookmark. As a result, other team members will see that using time off is acceptable, and they will feel they can . When working from home, encourage your employees to consider vacations as tools for focused family time, caregiving, and self-care. To give the company time to finalize schedules, team members are expected to submit requests by [date] through [communication method]. } They worry that workers' reluctance to take time off is only adding to the anxiety, stress and other mental health problems caused by COVID-19 and the recession. How Companies Can Encourage Employees to Use Their Vacation Time. else if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-mena.aspx") > -1) { Talking to your employees about the coronavirus is no easy feat. There's more to PTO than making adjustments at the end of the year. Have a Clear Employee Vacation Policy First, make sure your employee vacation policy is clearly outlined. We send two emails per month max. Being transparent about leave policies allows individuals to consciously weigh trade-offs and enables everyone to operate from the same set of principles. HR circular format for employees are very helpful in this situation. The reply should explain when the employee will be away and for how long, but also include some language that indicates that the employee is taking a break from work and is not available during this time. "Make it mandatory," says Profico. Instead, you can rely on Timetastic a staff leave software that keeps you updated on who needs time off and gives your team an easy way to book their holidays. 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. But encouraging your employees to use their time off is a win for you and for them. Subject: letter to encourage employees to take vacations. Annual allotment vs. accrual bank vs. unlimited? For example, one of my direct reports said she was not going to use her vacation as she did not have any plans. Especially amid uncertainty, many people might not feel secure about their jobs and will require extra encouragement from their managers before trusting theyre safe while getting some respite. 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. Otherwise, youre heading for burnout and thats bad for everyone. We really want our employees to take their leave its yours to take and we hope you enjoy it. Encourage Employees to Take a Digital Detox, Remind Employees about the Benefits of Taking Time Off, Make it a Habit to Unplug from Work Often, Show Employees that Work-life Balance is Important, Send Monthly Vacation Balance Reminders to Employees, Have One-on-One Meetings With Employees to Encourage Them to Take Some Time Off, Provide Employees with Tools to Help them Unplug From Work, Set Up an Out-of-office Reply that Promotes Relaxation, Encourage them to Do Something Unproductive, Sample Email to Encourage Employees to Take Annual Leave, Incentives for doing so; i.e., discounts on gift cards, An official no phone zone at work that includes no cell phones or laptops allowed during certain hours of the day, A designated area in the office where people can go when they need some space away from their devices, When you work for a company, you probably know that taking time off is good for your health and well-being. Employees who take regular time off are less stressed, less likely to burn out, and better equipped to find solutions when problems arise. Template for external staff letter. Note: This is what it looks like when you book a holiday using our mobile app. The company thinks that you truly deserve this vacation, and we hope you will consider our effort to appreciate your hard work and will take this opportunity. Review this collection of common PTO questions and answers or watch the embedded HR Party of One video below to prepare accordingly. If workers take 29% less vacation for the entire year, this translates into about $60B in additional accrued PTO liability. var currentLocation = getCookie("SHRM_Core_CurrentUser_LocationID"); by. But if youre always putting in extra time because that project needs to be on timeor because theres too much work left over from last weekthen this will send the message that its okay for them not to take any personal days and just keep going without sleep or relaxation. You have successfully saved this page as a bookmark. But if you dont use it by the end of the year, [DD/MM/YY], then your time off will reset for the new year. By starting from a place of care and concern for your workforce you reinforce the maxim that people are your strongest asset and that youre there for them in good times and bad, regardless of their individual circumstances. In, Template: PTO Communication to Remind Employees to Use Time Off Hours, more productive and exhibit lower stress and better mental health, There's more to PTO than making adjustments at the end of the year. Managers are also encouraged to be vocal about taking shorter amounts of time off. The center, which provides counseling services to women with unplanned pregnancies, depends on volunteers to help carry out its mission. On his next half day off, he plans to go for a bike ride and camp on his deck with his daughters. We would be very happy to give some of the savings we achieve in reduced electricity costs back to you. It's also important to clearly indicate who approves someone's holiday requests. } To help employees feel comfortable taking time off, its important to set up an out-of-office reply that promotes relaxation. The company sent employees reminders to start planning their vacation schedules, with few responses. It gives both the employee and employer time for review. If anyone has any questions or concerns about this email, please feel free to reach out. Noticing that managers are deluding themselves about their own and team members productivity, I surveyed clients and heard back from 20 of them in companies ranging from startups to Fortune 30 and universities located across the U.S. People will be scared and caring about their health and source of income. Steve Pemberton, chief human resources officer at the company, which is co-headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, and Framingham, Mass. 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. Your team can also easily book a holiday through their Wallchart: They simply select the dates they want off, list the reason (i.e. Team members of some of my clients try things theyve never done, just to infuse novelty such as sketching or singing. Using this circular for declaring holiday format, you can write leave circular for your own company. if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-china.aspx") > -1) { Employees need to feel that their organization understands work-life balance and that they are encouraged to take time away from the office. (Campaign Monitor,2019) Add an eye-catching subject line and body. If you havent taken a vacation yet this year, I hope youll consider taking some time off soon. This request is due to [provide reason/s]. By intentionally taking time off and fully disconnected from work, I signal to others that it's okay to do the same. 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. Below is a vacation request email sample for medical reasons: Subject: Medical leave application Dear (Manager's name), I'm writing this letter to request vacation leave from Tuesday (December 15th) through Thursday (December 24th). "Time off gives you the opportunity to recharge. 1. More employees began requesting vacations in June, but they pulled back again in mid-July July as virus cases roared back, according to Zenefits, a San Francisco-based benefits provider. To get all of HBRs content delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Daily Alert newsletter. Brett is a #SHRM22Influencers and has also been a keynote speaker at several state SHRM conferences around the topic of employee engagement. Ensure youre clear about your organizations current time-off policy and communicate it to your team. Managers might also consider reducing the number of meetings around the holidays, or making Mondays and Fridays meeting-free days from Thanksgiving until the end of the year to encourage employees to extend their weekends. PTO will be available to exempt and non-exempt employees. For example, from February to June, employees' risk for developing depressive disorders surged 54 percent while the risk of general anxiety jumped 41 percent, according to Total Brain, a San Francisco-based provider of mental health services. Sterling R. Morris, Intermountain Healthcare. Now?" My coworker was incredulous. Weve given you three different templates above for informing someone about the leave theyre about to lose. Please confirm that you want to proceed with deleting bookmark. Help staff ease back into work after their leave. 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 your employees to start thinking of dates they might like to request off. Pay attention to your email's header and the design of its body . In this case, make a simple process for reaching out and interacting with coworkers to find coverage for time off. But please keep in mind that this leave must be used within the next calendar year or the carry over balance will expire. 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. The SHRM Blog does not accept solicitation for guest posts. If this is the case, HR should consider the following questions when auditing their time-off policy: To learn more about communicating these updates, use the template inthis BerniePortal resource. "In the middle of a global pandemic? Finally, employers can simply remind employees to take their time off before the end of the year. Many have rediscovered activities within their immediate reach. If you have any questions about your leave balance, or how to book leave, please reach out to your manager. What is important is that they spend time with them, because they never know how long they have with their loved ones regardless if there is a pandemic.
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