‘I really need a holiday’…Grateful for annual leave
‘I really need a holiday’. Some of us are known to utter these words just days (or hours!) after returning from one. Whether it’s simply taking time to relax at home, sitting on a beach for a week, exploring locally, or backpacking somewhere far away, time away from the daily routine can be the highlight of the year. It isn’t always like this. Holidays themselves can cause stress (I’m sure anyone who has tried to take a baby or toddler on a flight will confirm). There can also be pressure to ‘make the most’ of them. This is something social media can exacerbate as we see the filtered snapshots of friends and family in exotic places. The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in huge curtailing in our ability to travel. Many people failed to take all of their allocated leave entitlement. Many of those who were self employed just continued to work through. The emergence of more remote working has led to hybrid holiday-work trips. We have to wonder what the direct impact that in itself had on wellbeing. . The return of travel was something I was certainly grateful for but it is useful to explore our relationship with holidays and time away from work. The benefits of taking time off are manifold and extend to employees and employers alike.
A friend recently commented that they had half of their leave allowance still left with only one month to go before the deadline to take it. The same friend had been working long hours, and not infrequently we discussed how exhausted he felt. My untactful (in hindsight) question, ‘How have you not taken all your entitlement?’ was met with a long list of very legitimate reasons. His deadline to take it came and went and a few months later he was taking extended sick leave for stress and exhaustion. Whilst reasons that leave is not taken can perhaps be beneficial in the short term, it can frequently have a detrimental impact in the longer term. I know, however, I would probably have acted the same had I been in his situation.
Why should it be such a priority?
Benefits for employees:
Reduced stress and Burnout: taking time off from work can help employees recharge, relax, and reduce stress levels, leading to better mental and physical health.
Improved work-life balance: Taking annual leave allows employees to focus on their personal life, engage in hobbies or interests, and spend time with family and friends, leading to greater job satisfaction
Increased job performance: Time away from work can help employees gain perspective, increase creativity, and boost productivity upon their return.
Benefits for employers:
Improved employee retention: Employees who feel valued and supported by their employer are more likely to stay with the company, reducing recruitment costs and improving morale.
Increased employee engagement: Taking time off work can improve employee engagement and job satisfaction, leading to a more committed and motivated workforce.
Reduced absenteeism: employees who take regular breaks and annual leave are less likely to experience burnout and absenteeism, leading to a more reliable and productive workforce.
My friend’s scenario is not uncommon. What are the reasons you haven't taken your annual leave entitlement before? Do any of these look familiar?
I don’t have time, there’s too much to do.
I’d feel guilty that my colleagues will have to do my work whilst I’m away
If I take time off, the workload will pile up and it’ll just be even worse when I get back.
I cant really afford to go away at the moment so I won’t bother taking my allocated leave
I don’t want to use up my leave just in case something else comes up
My leave was declined for the dates I wanted
There is certainly a role for us as individuals to ensure we prioritise our own work-life balance. However, much of the difficulties outlined above stem from poor organisational systems or cultures that dont make taking leave the priority it should be.
How can we stop the feeling of guilt that we are leaving work for others. This is where the system should come into play. Workforce planning to enable leave is essential.. As a junior doctor on the ward in a team of 3 if one of us was on leave the other 2 just had to do the same workload between them (you can imagine the pressure when 1 of us was off sick!). I hear from friends who joined the exodus to Australia that there are floating doctors, who fill the gaps on wards from holiday or sick leave, ensuring a full complement of staffing at all times. This may of course not be possible in all sectors, but leave is not unexpected, it is a requirement.
The flip side to the above is that none of our workload is taken care of whilst we are away so despite a week or so of rest there is twice as much work when we come back to do. This is frequently cited as a reason to ‘quickly check and get on top of emails before returning to work’. Leavism is simply working when we shouldnt be. How many times have you been on leave but then still checked your emails or had a quick call. In a recent study 72% of employers and managers said they encouraged employees to switch off during the holidays (if you work for any of the other 28% I’d seriously consider handing in your notice). Despite this 68% of employees say that they have difficulty switching off/stepping away from work. Even thinking about work and making plans for your return could be described as leavism. What about taking leave just because you’re exhausted and run down? Should that be holiday leave or sick leave? It’s an interesting question.
What happens when we have leave allocation but cant really think of anything to do with it? Maybe its just best to work though. Maybe there is no one to go away with. Maybe we cant afford it. Sometimes the ‘make the most of it’ attitude blinds us to the simple benefits of just not being at work! One of the best weeks off i had involved binge watching netflix guilt free with the occasional trips to a coffee shop to read. The attitude that each bit of leave we take should be linked to an actual holiday is unhelpful. It might be better to think of it as time to reset, relax, and refresh in whatever way works.
Some research shows that the benefits of taking holidays are short lived (we soon forget when we’ve spent a few days back at the grindstone). However, holiday memories can have a protective effect by temporarily at least enhancing mood and wellbeing and acting as a buffer for future stressors. A calming picture of a lake in Norway from a trip years ago is framed in my office. For a brief moment when feeling a bit anxious or overwhelmed I can take a look and be transported back.
Have you booked your next stint of annual leave? What will you do with it? How can you ensure your organisation facilitates everyone to take leave in a way that helps them reset and feel energised and refreshed?