Planbee Strategy Consultants’ Post

7 Reasons to encourage employees to take time off 1. Better mental and physical health Enforcing PTO will pay dividends for the employer in the form of the employees’ health and attitude towards work.   2. Increased retention Returning happier and well-rested from a vacation will bring in positive feelings for the employers. 3. Increased productivity Expect your employees to be more productive and more in tune with managers and co-workers after some time off. 4. Happier workplace culture Having healthy happy employees who take time off will do wonders for your profits and your office environment. 5. Better work and life balance Taking time away from being relentlessly busy gives you a chance to remember what the true meaning of life is. 6. #Boostedteamwork When you delegate to others being on a vacation, you are forced to share your knowledge with colleagues, and they grow in your absence. 7. Save money As mentioned above, employee retention increases when they take vacations. This means you’ll be spending less on hiring and training new employees, saving money in the long run #humanresources #hrcomunity #upskilling #mentalhealth

When it comes to taking advantage of paid time off recent statistics tell an alarming trend. In 2022, according to Qualtrics research, American workers left an average of 9.5 vacation days unused. Why is paid time off so important for #employees? Often, the pressures of looming deadlines, a demanding workplace culture, and implicit workplace demands on nonworking hours can make work-life balance seem impossible. However taking a vacation l (even if it is a short-one) and setting reasonable boundaries around minimizing communication with work colleagues outside of working hours can help achieve more #worklifebalance especially during the festive periods Research has shown vacations can help prevent #stress and #burnout, while improving mental and physical health. Also, vacations can be especially effective at raising levels of happiness. #wellbeing #productivity

Are you tempted to check emails during your holiday? And if you are, who is accountable for having the need to check? Personally I have done both checking of emails and completely switching off, and in my opinion the accountability doesn't solely lie in one place. As individual's we are definitely accountable for the actions we take, and the organisation's culture has an impact on how we behave as humans. If it has become a norm that colleagues messages colleagues during their time off (and expects an answer) then it creates an environment where the "always on" is expected. There's two things I would immediately look at: 1. Your own reflections on why you check your emails. Is this due to your own identity and self value through your work? Can you start by only checking the emails once and move to not checking at all? 2. Identify ways in which you can adapt the culture at work. Do leaders switch off completely on their holidays? Are they leading by example? Do you communicate effectively that people have full authority to switch off completely? Having a culture where people feel safe and valued even if they are on holiday and switch off completely is achievable and takes time to achieve. However it can only be done through everyone being onboard and wanting that change. Ultimately rested people are more productive people.

Dreaming of a relaxing holiday, but work keeps creeping in? You’re not alone! 👇 According to a new survey, more than 75% of employees in the UK respond to work emails while on holiday and 1 in 8 don’t take their full allowance of annual leave (HR News). In our constantly connected world, it's tempting to check emails or answer calls while on holiday. While flexibility to work anytime, anywhere sounds great, it can blur the lines between work and personal life, making it hard to truly disconnect. This "always-on" mentality not only hurts employee productivity, but also impacts their mental and physical health. As an employer, it is important to lead by example by encouraging leaders to disconnect during their annual leave and to promote work-life balance. By fostering a culture of respect for personal time, you can create a happier, healthier, and more productive workforce! #wellbeing #worklifebalance #employeeretention

When I work with my clients, I emphasize the importance of developing a culture that supports and/or promotes work-life balance. This week on my GBS page, I am exploring the question:  Does PTO = Work-Life Balance? (Life Work Balance for those of you under 25 and 60+)   So, I would love to hear from you on this topic.   ✅ What do you strive for as an employee? Or as the owner/boss/manager?  ✅ How do you choose to spend your PTO, vacation time, sick leave, etc? ✅ What's the best reason you have seen or heard someone ask to take time off in advance?  ✅ What's the most creative reason a co-worker or an employee didn't show up for work? Or even you (we promise to keep your secret—lol)?   I can't wait to hear your answers. If you want to learn more about the importance of work-life balance, PTO, and other work issues according to generation, join me on our Generational Business Strategies LinkedIn page on Thursday.  #PTO #worklifebalance #bestemployees #culture #CEO #boss #vacation #creative

Work life balance - fears and misconceptions why employees don’t use their paid time off. This excerpt from HBR (July-Aug 2024) reveals research based reasons why employees don’t avail their PTO? - Don’t feel the need. - might fall behind at work. - coworkers taking their work. - might hurt chances to advance in career. - might risk losing their jobs. - managers discourage not to take PTO. Above reasons are in sequence of priority. Employers and managers should think. #worklifebalance #paidtimeoff

🎉There is still more to this story! Last week, we discussed PTO and the different types of leaves a company can offer to attract various employees across the generations. But this left us asking the question: Does PTO = Work-Life Balance? (Life Work Balance for those of you under 25 and over 60+)   We want to hear from you before we share the generational facts, preferences, and tendencies on Thursday.   So... here... we... go! 🛫 What do your employees value when it comes to work-life balance at work? What do they use their PTO and different leaves for? What's the best reason someone asked to take time off from work in advance?  What's the most creative reason a person didn't show up for their shift? What's the most non-credible reason? ( Did their grandmother Hazel already pass away last year?) 🤔 Time to share your PTO stories...let's hear them! 😎   #PTO #balance #vacation #personalleave #sickdays #employeewellbeing #leadership

Discover the key to happy employees! - Recent research suggests that the ideal number of paid time off (PTO) days for maximum happiness is around 15 days per year. This finding underscores the importance of work-life balance. According to data from CalendarLabs, which surveyed 812 employees in the U.S. and the U.K., employees who took an average of 15 PTO days last year reported higher levels of satisfaction. Interestingly, U.S. employees working remotely took slightly fewer PTO days (14 days) compared to onsite employees (15 days), highlighting the need for flexibility in how and when employees take time off. However, there's a concerning trend: nearly 40 percent of U.S. employees didn't use all their allotted PTO last year, with 55 percent of them forfeiting unused days. This reluctance to take time off may stem from feelings of guilt or concerns about job security, as reported by the majority of employees surveyed. Magnet HR recognizes the significance of proper time off to prevent burnout and maintain a positive work environment. It's crucial for employers to encourage PTO and ensure employees can truly disconnect to recharge. Let's prioritize well-being for a more productive and engaged workforce. (Source: SHRM) #WorkLifeBalance #EmployeeWellbeing #MagnetHR #PTO #EmployeeSatisfaction #HappinessAtWork #TimeOff #BurnoutPrevention #HealthyWorkplace #OptimalPTO #WorkplaceWellness

A well-rested employee is a productive, creative, and loyal employee. That’s why it’s essential that employers make their employees feel like they can and should take all of their paid time off. 🌴 Unfortunately, if you read our last post, you’ll know that many employees don’t feel like they can. A pressure to be productive, meet impossibly tight deadlines, and be seen as “hardworking” prevents them from taking their much-needed breaks from work. So, for companies that want to encourage a healthy work-life balance and a company culture that attracts and retains employees, here’s how you can encourage staff to take their PTO: Lead by example: Leaders, make sure you’re taking your PTO too. You can also discuss paid time off in meetings and encourage employees to chat about traveling and vacations.  Don’t make them justify their time off: Many employees feel like they need a “good” reason to take time off. They should feel like they can take their PTO for no reason at all.  Encourage unplugging: Don’t expect employees to be responsive outside of work hours, especially when they’re away. Standardize out-of-office email responses and ask how you can support employees in truly unplugging.  Send vacation balance reminders: Sending these to managers means that they can talk to employees who have a high balance and ensure that they plan to take them off. This can reduce liability for the company and nurture a healthy work/life balance.  Have an employee backup: Employees can often dread coming back to a huge workload and backlog of emails. Having an employee that’s able to pick up on some of the work during their coworker’s vacation helps to alleviate the burden. 💡 Got any other tips? Share them below! #EmployeeWellbeing #WorkLifeBalance #EmployeeProductivity #EmployeeEngagement #Leadership #Unplugging #HRTips #EmployeeSatisfaction #WorkplaceWellbeing #Burnout 

What are everyone’s thoughts on the standard “5 PTO days”? I personally was thinking about it a lot more recently, and I highly disagree with this model. I think the strict model of only having a certain amount of days to take off, especially a very small amount like “5” isn’t promoting a healthy work life balance. Everyone has different things going on, and not everyone needs the 5 PTO days in general, but having the option always makes it more comfortable. It encourages an employee to still do well at their job, while still being encouraged to take their time for their personal needs. At the end of the day, people have their own lives and their own motives for working at a certain job. But if you could make your employees happier with this one thing, wouldn’t you do it? If you are reading this and are an employer, I am challenging you to envision yourself changing the PTO days and seeing what a difference that would make overall. If you are looking to make a change internally in your company, reach out to me. I specialize in helping small to mid size businesses understand their operation goals, and help find the right talent to fill those roles. #recuitment #employees #ptodays #workdiscussion