It's All About People

Taking a break

August 15, 2024

15th August - 4 minute read

Welcome back

This week’s It’s All About People covers:

 🏖️ The importance of taking a break (for all concerned)

🔇 Protecting time away from work (and not just because it will soon be law)

🌞 Making sure your team use their annual leave

📆 Events this month

As this email arrives in your inbox, I will be sat on a beach, sipping a cocktail and enjoying time with my family. Hopefully tanning as well as last year :-)

Now, don’t worry I am taking my own advice and this email was written before I went - no working on annual leave for me.

🏖️ The importance of taking a break (for all concerned)

Taking time off work significantly improves productivity and creativity.

Studies have shown that taking regular breaks from work enhances mental agility and problem-solving skills.

The Mental Health Foundation reports that around 12.7% of all sickness absence days in the UK can be attributed to mental health conditions; taking regular holidays helps reduce stress levels and improves overall mental health.

Organisations that  encourage taking holidays and protect that time see higher levels of job satisfaction and lower turnover rates.

Employees feel valued and are more likely to stay with a company that respect their health and work-life balance.

HOWEVER…a significant number of employees in the UK do not take their full annual leave.

According to research from the CIPD, 55% of employees feel that work is becoming more intense and demanding, which discourages them from taking time off.

🔇 Protecting time away from work (and not just because it will soon be law)

For those of you who attended the 100 Days webinar a couple of weeks ago, you will know I mentioned the incoming “Right to Switch Off” legislation.

The UK will not be the first country to do this, it has already become law in other European countries including France, Italy and Spain.

The details are yet to be published, but in essence it is protecting employees own time outside of work - so including annual leave.

I have always been very protective of this for my team, and will not allow people to work or answer emails when on leave. However, I see so many people that this is not the case with, and that (in my humble opinion) is wrong.

So if you know team members work when they are on leave you need to address this. And, of course be sure you are not the one causing them to have to do this!

🌞 Making sure your team use their annual leave

Plan Ahead - encourage team members to plan and book their annual leave as early as possible. This ensures they get it booked in before work diaries get busy, and it also ensures everyone gets some time off.  

Ensure Regular Breaks - most polices will have a limit on how much time can be taken at once, but make sure your team members have breaks spread throughout the year, so they get chance to relax and recharge. .

Be a Role Model - as a manager make sure that you take your annual leave, and related to the above - when you are on leave, don’t work!

Provide Cover and Support - this is harder in a smaller business, but do what you can so that team members feel they can take a break without worrying about what they are coming back to.

Do a handover with team members to see what you, or other team members, can take off them while they are away.

Encouraging your team to take their holidays is not just about keeping on the right side of the law, it is about creating a healthy, productive, and happy team, that in turn delivers results. .

That’s all for this week – have a great week all.

Emma 

P.S. For those of you reading this who are members of our HR Hub then as the new law becomes clear, we will be updating all the relevant documents and guidance - and will of course alert you they are there.

 P.P.S.  If you are not a Hub member you can find out more and join here for only £45/month for all your HR needs.

P.P.P.S If we have not connected on LinkedIn yet, I would love to connect

Events to Join in the coming weeks (click on the links to join us)

Absence Management Lunch and Learn - 22nd August 12pm, use code NEWS to claim your free place

HR Clinic (free to all, come and ask your HR questions) - 27th August 12pm 

 

 

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