Vacation time is one of the most important things you can give to yourself and your employees. That’s why I push further than the mediocre two weeks paid vacation that most employers provide. The five weeks of paid vacation that I give, and recommend (on top of government holidays) should be standard practice for all companies, for all employees, from day one.
Here are five reasons why vacation time is so important to you and your business.
Vacation Time Benefits Your Employees’ Physical Health
Vacation time is often thought of as nothing more than simply time off, but it’s more than that. It is time spent rejuvenating your physical health.
“A study found that men at risk for heart disease were 30% more likely to have a heart attack when skipping vacation for five years in a row than those who took a week off each year, but that even just skipping one vacation increased their risk.” – Business Insider
If vacation time helps you stay healthy, then you want to make sure you’re giving your employees enough. You want your team, yourself included, to be healthy so that everyone can thrive at their jobs. So, why not give your staff that time – 25 days a year, in fact. And actually ENCOURAGE them to take it, a couple of days a month at least.
Vacation Time Increases Productivity
The day before a vacation is a day when people are the most productive, actually, it can extend the entire week before. The more days of vacation they have, the more productive days before vacation are. It’s called the “Vacation Effect”, and lots of people talk about it (look it up).
“After a vacation, 64 percent of people say that they are ”refreshed and excited to get back to my job.” It’s a win-win both for employees and organizations alike.” – Psychology Today
“To be sure they take this time off, force them to or they lose it. The idea is to recharge your batteries regularly and not stockpile the time and have a meltdown.” – Cameron Herold
Vacation serves as a hard deadline for employees, which is a major motivator to get things done. With vacations coming up, employees don’t want to waste time, and actually accomplish a LOT more work than normal.
Vacation Time Improves Sleep Habits
You’re thinking…really? Well, we all know that sleep is necessary to have in order to be productive at work (and life in general). A lack of vacation time actually does affect sleep habits and definitely not in a positive way.
“Researchers say, that vacations can help interrupt the habits that disrupt sleep, like working late into the night or watching a backlit screen before bed. If you have stress from work and you find your sleep is disrupted because of anxiety or tension, take time off and learn to reset your sleep pattern.” – Inc
A vacation provides a reset from bad sleep habits. It interrupts bad habits that affect your quality of sleep – like working late and looking at a screen before bed. For most people, these habits are hard to break, but the complete shift in a schedule that a vacation provides makes it a lot easier.
Gives Employees Opportunities
As a leader, taking vacation time not only sets an important example, but it provides opportunities for your employees to step up while you’re away.
“When senior leaders go on vacation, it gives high potential team members a chance to develop their leadership muscles.” – Forbes
As a leader, taking time away from your work shows an important amount of trust in your employees. You’re giving them the opportunity to make decisions independently and showing them that you value and trust them enough to do that.
Vacation time is necessary for everyone in the workplace and providing enough of it is just as important as that vacation itself. The benefits of vacation time apply to the entire company. So, try it out! Give your employees 25 days to use each year, whether those are sick days, personal days, or them going on a vacation. Trust me you’ll see a HUGE difference.
If you have questions or would like more information, I’d be happy to help. Please send an email, and my team will get in touch with you!
