Canadian HR Reporter

www.hrreporter.com 13 "The younger workforce places a higher value on quality in their personal life. We've seen this group even asking to take unpaid time away from work to pursue vacations, adventure and unique personal opportunities not related to their career. In contrast, a gen-X employee [is concerned] about how their beliefs and values push them toward working hard and proving their value at work." Vacation shaming is another trend that may also explain why workers are reluctant to leave work. "If someone is just about to plan some time off, a comment as harmless as 'Oh, that's going to be a really busy month'… means that person is either not going to take the time off or, if they do take the time off, they' ll probably be checking their phone the whole time to see 'OK, do they need me? What am I missing?' and they' ll feel g u i l t y a b o u t t h a t t i m e o f f ," says Pearson. And vacation shaming is not always obvious, says Whitlock, as sometimes it is an "unplanned, even subliminal, outcome. How often have you seen a manager or senior leader express "Part of it's just the general culture of work in the U.S. We place a higher priority on working and being productive and spending time at our jobs than maybe other countries do. We really do just have this cultural sense that work is a very important thing and that we should spend a lot of time doing it." Different generations view personal time off differently, according to Whitlock, which complicates matters for employers. appreciation for an employee who stayed late to complete a project or worked all weekend to meet a deadline? And now compare to that the last time a leader thanked an employee for being thoughtful about self-care and having balanced priorities." Mental health gains to vacation time Another reason to encourage people to leave their desks? A rise in burnout and short-term disability claims related to mental health, says Pearson, citing comments from tech and corporate executives in Toronto. For companies such as BambooHR, the downside to not taking full advantage of vacation time is profound. " Tw o w o r d s : b u r n o u t a n d disengagement. We all need breaks, and without the proper rest and recovery periods, we wear down over time," says Whitlock. "Disengagement can s tar t when employees feel over worked or unappreciated. As disengagement sets in, innovation and productivity suffer." The mental health benefits of time off can be impressive. "Disengagement can start when employees feel overworked or unappreciated… Innovation and productivity suffer." Cassie Whitlock, BambooHR "Especially at a lot of technology-based companies, we're connected all the time; sometimes, people just need time off to rest and to take time for themselves and that's great because we are incredibly busy. It's go, go, go, do the same things every day, and we live our lives on autopilot," says Pearson. "Experiencing something new or taking yourself out of your everyday routines forces you to be present in that moment, and any situation or any circumstance that forces someone to be present all of a sudden can make them more creative, and it can make them then have a different perspective and become, upon returning from that time o ff , m o r e p r o d u c t i v e , b e c o m e more energized." People are just better employees when they return from vacation, says Whitlock. "By giving employees enough time away from work [and if employees really disconnect], they can return to work more recharged and ready to perform their best. The ability to come back to work, day after day and give your best effort is known as resilience, and it's a key element of any successful working team. CHRR Photo credit: Image Source iStock

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