The benefits of employee time off for employers
From Canadian staycations to international flights, vacations give employees the freedom to do what they need to fill their cup. Paid vacation encourages employees to disconnect from work and reconnect with themselves, their loved ones, and their passions. Using vacation entitlements is one way employees can prevent and address work-related burnout. Unfortunately, not enough employees use all their vacation time. Employers can intervene by establishing workplace standards and encouraging employees to take the time off they need.
Benefits of paid time off for employers and employees
Creating a work culture where employees feel able and welcome to enjoy time off work has its perks. Employees who take time off can enjoy:
- Lower stress and anxiety levels;
- Lower chances of burnout;
- Improved physical and mental wellbeing; and
- Increased creativity, productivity, and engagement when they return to work.
Improved employee wellbeing also reduces the chances of workplace incidents, such as fatigue-related injuries.
When it comes to wellbeing and workplace health, everyone has responsibilities. Employees are responsible for taking the vacation they’re entitled to, and employers should make it easy for them to take time off.
How many employees take time off?
According to a Maru Public Opinion survey:
- Only 29% of Canadians used all of their allotted vacation time;
- 54% of Canadians only took some of their allotted vacation time; and
- 17% of Canadians didn’t take any time off at all.
Why don’t employees take all their vacation time?
Employees feel they can’t take time away from work for many reasons. For example, some employees may experience:
- Fear of being unable to complete projects or meet deadlines if they take time off;
- Pressure to prove their dedication to work by not using their vacation entitlements; or
- Implications from the company’s culture that employees always need to be connected even when out of the workplace.
These stressors can make an employee feel conflicted that they could be replaceable with someone perceived as a harder worker.
What employers can do
To encourage employees to use all their vacation entitlements, employers should understand the heart of the problem. Consider these questions:
- Do employees in your organization understand their vacation entitlements?
- Is the team equipped to handle a reduced staff?
- Do employees know how and when to book vacation?
- When employees are off work, can they truly disconnect?
Increase engagement and address burnout before it becomes an issue
An effective vacation management program helps organizations create a trusting work culture. Encouraging workers to use their vacation and time off entitlements and implementing transparent vacation policies can help improve morale, turnover rates, employee engagement, and loyalty. For more comprehensive strategies with insights from our HR experts, check out our guide to Managing Employee Vacation Requests.
Download our guide to managing employee vacations in our resource centre here.
Our innovative, Canadian-made HR software has helped thousands of organizations with:
- Compliant HR policies and documentation: Access an HR content library of over 3,000 HR templates, including policies for employee time off requests and workplace accommodations, all tailored to Canadian jurisdictions.
- Expert HR and workplace safety training: Our online employee training platform contains hundreds of courses that ensure your workers and leaders understand their employment rights, including time off entitlements, vacation pay, and statutory holiday obligations.
- Live HR advice and professional consulting services: When you need answers about the specifics of leave requests, or anything else, our team of HR advisors and consultants are always there to provide trusted guidance on your specific HR challenges or projects.
Connect with one of our HR or workplace safety consultants today, or check out our pricing page for all the details on our flexible HR and OHS packages.
