It’s mid-year; have you checked your employees’ vacation schedule? Now is the time to make sure your employees are rejuvenating themselves by taking their time off. People have to take time away from the job to recharge their batteries. Businesses truly learn to appreciate employees while they are in the office by encouraging them to take time off and get out of their routines. A fresh and recharged employee is VERY valuable.

A Families and Work Institute (FWI) study shows that overworked employees are more likely to make mistakes and be angry at their employers and colleagues who appear not to work as hard. We all know these people are fun to work with, don’t we? These employees have higher stress levels, experience symptoms of clinical depression, report poorer health, and neglect themselves. Their families are not likely to be very happy with them or their teammates, either. Yet the same study said that a full 1/3 of the Americans in the study had no intentions of taking all of their earned vacation time!

We go through the exercise at the end of June each year. Who has taken a reasonable amount of their holiday time or at least scheduled a fair amount of their time during the summer or early fall? If there are hoarders or workaholics who are not taking their vacations, their managers discuss the need for time off with these employees so they can get a new perspective on the world, spend time with their family, or do charity work. I had one employee who was single and told me that she didn’t want to take time off because she didn’t want to spend the money to travel, and she didn’t have family to spend the time with. I encouraged her to take the time to help Habitat for Humanity® build houses in the area. She took the week off and loved it.

In addition to just being away from the daily routine, I also believe that everyone should travel out of their home country to see a little bit of the world. So, this year I am on a mission to get 100% of my employee base to at least get a passport to open up the opportunity. Most probably already have a passport, but for those who don’t, we’re going to make it easy for them by going through the process in groups, if they like.

As an employee I took my vacations; as a business owner I did not until I was taught how by my courses with The Strategic Coach® program. Now it’s more valuable to me and my company that I take time off. (Stop snickering about why you want me out of the office, guys!) I have to push the reset button once in awhile, all humans do. My team knows they must take their time off, because it is a win-win for everyone.

Have you scheduled your time off? By the way, I wrote this one before I left on my summer vacation. More to come when I get back.

Cheers,
Lois

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