Are mandatory vacations the productivity solution we’ve been searching for?

The negative side effects of chronic workplace stress and unhappiness can manifest in many ways, including employee burnout and absenteeism, high turnover rates, more interpersonal conflicts, low workplace morale and decreased productivity.

Living adjacent to no vacation nation

Executive coach Rebecca Zucker says, “The cognitive impact when you’re overwhelmed with work can include cognitive fatigue, difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness and impaired problem-solving ability, among several other effects. Taking a vacation provides greater opportunity for rest and better sleep (both quantity and quality), which can help unclutter your mind to create more mental space.”

We understand the importance of vacation for overall health, but a 2023 online survey by Expedia highlights a progressive increase in feeling vacation deprived. The survey reveals that nearly half of Canadians report that they need more vacation, with 45 percent stating they had left vacation from the previous year on the table, and another 53 percent sharing that they had utilized at least one of their vacation days to care for a sick relative.

Despite the knowledge that vacation and breaks from work will make for happier and more effective employees, there remains an overwhelming North American sense of guilt over using the vacation time employees are allotted. Critics of this often-reinforced cultural phenomenon have coined the affliction as “work martyrdom.” Employers reinforce this guilt when they use vacation as a way to commend people for their dedication to their jobs, or keep them tethered to the workplace when away, even when it makes them ill.

Effective change requires buy-in from senior leadership

Gwen Elling, Certified Human Resources Leader, has worked in HR for 20 years, managing teams for nearly a decade in the private and public sector. Elling says, “There is sometimes an expectation of having to be in the office to be seen as demonstrating your value as an employee. Leaders should be mindful to ensure that they aren’t perpetuating this sentiment from the top down by supporting their teams in taking time off away from work to recharge.” She emphasizes the importance of people taking wellness breaks to ready themselves for new challenges and warns that the impact of staff not taking vacation can include higher organizational benefit costs and reduced overall productivity.

Experts in change management caution against drastic vacation policy changes that don’t align with corporate culture. Proper alignment allows employees to feel that they have permission to take their vacation time and truly reap all the benefits of a vacation.

Will forced vacation blocks make my workplace more productive?

Some organizations have implemented policies where employees must take a certain number of days in a row off work as a portion of their vacation time. Others have applied vacation minimums for all staff in an effort to stave off burnout, with some variation as to whether the employee or organization selects the mandatory rest time and whether or not the leave is implemented for the entire organization during the same block of time.

Select progressive organizations incentivize employees to take time off by offering vacation stipends, often with the caveat that the employee is fully disconnected during their time off.

Experts such as Elling note that enforcing use of mandatory vacation blocks is most successful where people have adequate back-up support or coverage for their roles while away. If someone is required to take a week off but there is no one there to support this time off, it makes it difficult to get away and recharge.

Benefits to organizations that have implemented company-wide shutdowns can include greater equity in how vacation time is taken for both staff and management. Companies can enjoy the most success in mandatory shutdowns or minimum vacation blocks by clearly communicating these policies as a part of staff onboarding.

Incentivizing people to use their vacation time

Elling emphasizes that buy-in from senior leadership is key to success in such initiatives and should role model use of vacation time for positive influence over staff, as it has a tendency to trickle down throughout the organization.

Creating structures that allow for the use of vacation and better support for time off includes making sure that teams are not too lean and emphasizing the importance of cross-training. Such structures help eliminate feelings of guilt and allow employees to better recharge while away.

Conclusion

Elling concludes that, ideally, a part of total wellness is ensuring staff have the time off to do what they want to do – whether that’s wellness, volunteering, travel or time with family – which will, in turn, lead to more engaged employees.

Supporting your staff in utilizing vacation time to excel professionally is a balancing act. When employers recognize the value of time off through a wellness lens, they can better implement supportive policies that promote the overall health of the organization and its staff.

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