Better Vacation Returns
Employees need vacations, and not just the three-day-weekend kind. They need long, restful breaks to recover from the stress of working all year. For the employer, paid vacations are worth the investment because they help employees be more productive – and healthier – in the long run.
Too often, however, the benefits of vacation dissipate quickly because employees return to longer to-do lists than they had when they left. Or they tried to pack too much into their vacations and are exhausted from the effort. Here are some steps you can take to help workers avoid the post-vacation blues. Put these into action before employees leave:
Encourage longer vacations. Shorter vacations run the risk of being busy, leaving employees just as worn out as before they left.
Coach employees to finish up projects during the two weeks prior to departure. You’ll prevent stressful, last-minute efforts.
Give employees an extra half-day off on their last day before their vacations for last-minute preparations.
Take some time to inquire about employees’ vacations — before they go and after they come back.
Lower or eliminate any expectations that employees should check in with the workplace by phone or e-mail while away.
Assign employees’ job duties to others while they’re away so they don’t come back to overwhelming workloads.
Leave handwritten notes at employees’ workstations welcoming them back.
Don’t plan a heavy day for employees their first day back. Help them ease back into their workday routine.
A little planning can go a long way toward creating vacations that pay for themselves over time. These steps can help ensure many healthy returns.
[PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION]
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