BY C. Lee Smith
You’ve likely heard about quiet quitting, but did you know the new summer trend is quiet vacationing? What does this mean, and is it a sign that your employees’ mental health and productivity need a reset? Let’s take a look.
How to Improve Mental Health and Productivity
ResumeBuilder.com’s new survey suggests that “the latest workplace trend” is “quiet vacationing.” Earlier this year, ResumeBuilder.com surveyed employees regarding vacation plans.
Most employers offer their team members PTO. But not all employees take their vacation days – at least not openly. “In the past year, 11% of employees say they took a vacation day without their employer’s permission.”
Around 13% of employees plan to do the same this summer. Are your employees sneaking away because their mental health and productivity are at risk?
How Employees Game the System
During these clandestine days off, employees are often elsewhere. In some cases, they are working at least a little. Over 70% answer email messages, 65% take calls and 50% attend virtual meetings.
But they don’t want the boss or anyone else to know they are not at the usual work location. They use specific tactics to make it look like they are working while they are on the beach. For example, they schedule email messages to transmit throughout the day.
In addition, displaying virtual backgrounds and using tools to “get around employee monitoring” are common strategies.
Why Employees Lie
PTO remains a top way for employers to invest in the mental health and productivity of team members. Why are so many employees not asking for time off through official channels?
Over 30% of surveyed employees claim they were “too anxious to ask for time off.” This alarming finding indicates employees fear a backlash if they use a benefit that is designed to help them.
A similar percentage of employees note that they feared a ding to their reputation if they took vacation. U.S. workers have historically taken fewer vacation days than their counterparts in other countries. This trend may lead to trouble.
Employees who feel they can’t take time off will eventually burn out and become less productive. To prevent that from happening, address the topic with your frontline managers. Remind them to establish a system that allows employees to cover when co-workers are out.
At the highest levels in your organization, address the topic of vacations openly. When leaders talk about the link between taking vacation and mental health and productivity, employees will notice. Above all, assure employees that taking time off will not impact their ability to stay on track for a promotion.
Culture Changes
In an additional twist, ResumeBuilder.com reported that just over 30% of employers have joined the “Summer Fridays” trend. Employees of these organizations can take off either all or part of those days. ResumerBuilder.com analysts didn’t indicate whether employees are charged PTO in those cases.
The shift to working fewer days each week is becoming more noticeable across the U.S. This trend marks a significant culture change and is celebrated by employees.
The trend may also build resentment among employees who don’t work at companies with these new work standards. The resentment will translate into action. 23% of workers at nonparticipating companies are finding ways to work fewer hours.
As a manager, how should you address an employee who may be vacationing without requesting the time off? You might start with a review of who is taking vacation and at what times.
In some industries, you may need a rigid PTO schedule to cover the service you’re providing. For example, a hospital requires coverage at all times.
In your industry, is it critical to be strict about how and when employees take PTO? What if an employee requests a few hours of PTO at the last minute? If their work is on schedule and coverage is not a problem, grant it.
Another alternative is to establish shutdown times when no business is done and require employees to take vacation time.
Employee mental health should be top concerns for managers. Employees should feel comfortable taking PTO, especially to improve their mental health. They should also feel engaged and motivated at work.
Mental Health and Psychometric Assessments
Do you suspect some of your team members are struggling with mental health and productivity? Review the results of their psychometric assessments. You may need to adjust their job content or goals to help them reengage. And you may need to review your PTO policy.
Photo by Asad Photos Maldives on Pexels.
