Taken time off yet this summer?
America has been dubbed the no-vacation nation. According to a study done in 2011 by Harris Interactive the average American worker left 70% of their vacation allotment or up to 11 days on the table at the end of the year.
To add insult to injury, American's also tend to put more hours in on average per work week than the majority of other developed countries. Proof of our dedication and drive as workers?
Unfortunately, nope.
In fact our drive to work longer and harder according to cutting- edge research is about as ineffective as my attempts to guilt-trip my kids.
A 4 yr study done by the Harvard Business School associate Leslie Perlow found that regular and enforced predictable time off has many positive benefits for employees and the organization. Benefits included greater job satisfaction, improved communication, greater trust and respect for colleagues, increased learning and self-development, better products for the firm's clients, and a better work/life balance.
More importantly, for organizations dollars, not just sense comes into play as well. Time off, whether vacation days or just scheduled breaks in the day have been shown to support increased worker focus and productivity. More focus, can help reduce costly mistakes and increased productivity...well hellooo --- that just speaks for itself!
Luckily for me, HRmarketer is one of those few companies that recognizes the importance of time off - every employee receives one month of paid time off (in addition to paid holidays) regardless of length of service. Our team is made up of some incredibly hard working and talented artists, writers, researchers, programmers, and meticulous strategists and they all know how important it is to replenish their batteries and indulge their passions so they can bring their very best to our incredible customers each and every day.
So, do yourself, your family and your employer a favor and take sometime off this summer!
Me...I will be following our fearless leader's example and topping up my own batteries very soon in sunny Mexico with my partner in crime and our grown children.
Till next time.
Post written by HRmarketer / SocialEars HR staff member Debbie ImbodenLabels: Debbie Imboden, Employee Benefits, vacation policies, Work Life
