Research shows employees who use their vacation time each year perform better, are more productive and have greater job satisfaction. However, employees are reluctant to use their vacations times. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2011 that 90% of workers were given paid or unpaid leave at their work. Yet, more than 50% of don’t use all their time off. Employee time off benefits both the employee and the employer.
Do you use your vacation time each year? Employee time off benefits both the employee and the employer. Research shows employees who use their vacation time each year perform better, are more productive and have greater job satisfaction according to HR professionals. In a study conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) for Project: Time Off, fully utilizing leave off drives higher productivity and performance, boosts company morale, contributes to employee wellness and results in higher employee retention. Employees may be reluctant to use their vacations times. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2011 that 90% of workers were given paid or unpaid leave at their work. Yet, more than 50% of don’t use all their time off – even those with paid leave.
Why don’t they take leave? Workers may feel
- Pressure their employer does not look favorably on taking time off
- They have too much work to do now and the work would pile up while they are gone
- No one can do their job
- They’d rather get paid for their unused vacation time or have it roll over to the next year
- They can’t afford to take time off
- Their work is their enjoyment
- They want to earn over-time pay
Employees who don’t take their vacation days may experience burn out causing lowered productivity. When workers are overworked and do not take time to sleep or recharge, fatigue can affect an employees’ performance causing more errors and injuries. Stress causes harm to the employee’s health and relationships suffer at work as well as at home.
When employee’s productivity and mental alertness drops, employer’s profits decrease, and injuries and careless mistakes increase. Encouraging employees to take time off to deviate from their normal routine ultimately is ‘money in the bank’.
Jean Brownlie is an independent contractor and trainer for WorkerSmarts LLC. Contact Jean to learn how she can help your company achieve your mission.
