Employees Aren't Taking Leave Thanks to COVID-19. Here's What You Should Do

COVID-19 created countless consequences and new pressures for businesses, from the increased responsibility to ensure your employees can work safely, to the challenge of managing sudden fluctuations in customer demand.

One of the most significant repercussions of the pandemic for many HR departments was a sharp reduction in employees taking vacation time, as restrictions brought travel and tourism to a halt in many countries.

While having employees available to put in more hours at work during a time of great adversity may seem like a plus, the fact is people at every level of the business - from senior management down - need to take time off.

As soon as you suspect overworking is starting to become a problem in your workplace, it's time to think about how you can encourage staff to take a break.

Why employees need to take time off

The clearest and most important reason why people need vacation time is to switch off, unwind and forget about work for a while. For many employees, technology and the growth of remote working have blurred the boundaries between their jobs and their personal lives. This makes it more important than ever for them to have uninterrupted periods where they can fully switch off from work.

Actively encouraging your staff to take leave can deliver positive results including:

• Reduced workplace stress
• Lower risk of people becoming exhausted and eventually burning out
• Fewer human errors
• Higher productivity
• Lower rates of absenteeism and staff turnover

These are compelling benefits that will prove just as valuable for the business as they will for individuals in the long term. It's crucial, therefore, to be vigilant to employees not taking adequate time off and to plan how you’ll manage the situation.

How to respond

Recognizing that there's a problem of people not taking enough time off is just the first step. Next, you need to think about measures you can put in place to raise awareness of this issue and bring about positive change.

1.  Talk about why it's important

Like many challenges in business, employees taking too little vacation time can be at least partly addressed through open, honest and constructive communication. Get co-workers and teams together to talk about why it's so important for them to take breaks from their jobs. This will also provide an opportunity to reassure people that taking time off won't lead to them being disadvantaged or marginalized at work.

Employees who have fallen into a pattern of working for long periods without taking any leave might need to be reminded of how harmful this can be for their physical and mental health.

2.  Remind staff of their leave entitlements

It's possible that members of your workforce might not even be aware of how much paid time off they're able to take, especially if you use a system whereby people's leave entitlements are based on factors such as their length of service.

Simply making the effort to tell people they have a certain amount of leave to take could provide the impetus they need to go ahead and book some time off.

3.  Make it easy

Technology can make many business tasks easier, including the process of employees arranging time off and managers checking and approving requests from their teams.

Look into HR software platforms and systems you could use to streamline these procedures and remove barriers to people booking vacation time. As well as making everyday operations easier, this will demonstrate that you're willing to invest in services that will benefit your workforce.

4.  Be enthusiastic and positive about vacation time

Small gestures - like speaking positively about taking time off work and suggesting ways people could unwind (even if they can't actually go away anywhere) - can make a big difference.

Managers should celebrate their staff requesting time off and encourage them to switch off, relax and forget about work for a while.

5.  Set the right example

If employees see managers putting in long hours and rarely taking breaks, they'll probably assume they're expected to do the same. Engage with leaders across the business to make sure they're setting a positive example by using their paid time off.

This will help to foster a company culture that not only accepts but encourages vacation time, which is one of the most important steps you can take to bring about lasting change.