With varying demands for inter-generational care and self-care, encourage your employees to take the time they need to balance competing priorities. There are a lot of stressors now and our biggest concern is our employees becoming burned out. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM China "); 1. Please enable scripts and reload this page. [Give a reason for sending the incorrect mail according to you in your own words, this is just an example given]. Shift your organizations expectations from what youd do on a traditional vacation or even a staycation to envision creative ways to relax using resources lying in plain sight. Each and every employee of an organization work hard day and night every single day to produce the exact results that the corporation wants and make sure that the reputation of the organization always remains clean and only achievements are what that the organization gets. Encourage your staff to take the full amount of time allotted to enjoy themselves and come back refreshed for work. It gives both the employee and employer time for review. If you havent taken a vacation yet this year, I hope youll consider taking some time off soon. How Will the Anti-Work Movement Impact Businesses? year after restoration (i.e., restored in leave year 2013 to be used by the end of leave year 2014). According to WorldatWork, about $365B of PTO was accrued in 2019 across all companies and organizations in the US. The fear of being replaced or overlooked for projects or promotions is a potential factor preventing your employees from taking time off. Dear Valued Customer, We are beyond grateful for your continued support and loyalty to our brand and services. "People seem to say, 'I don't want to go to work today,' " she said, adding that the summer weather has also pushed people to use their PTO. I will be back at work on [DATE]. Managers need to rise to the occasion by encouraging time off from their employees. Your communication needs to include your companys stance on travel, any restrictions back at work if someone does leave town for example, a lab worker who must be on site after vacation and risks to public and personal safety. Review this collection of common PTO questions and answers or watch the embedded HR Party of One video below to prepare accordingly. Members can get help with HR questions via phone, chat or email. Some businesses may close down for a week or two at a certain time of the year, and that period is everyone's . Now?" My coworker was incredulous. Drew Gieseke is an aPHR-certified marketing professional who writes about HR, compliance, and healthcare solutions. Please enter the text you see in the image below: SHRM provides content as a service to its readers and members. Subject: Request for one week vacation leave. A specified amount of time off can be allowed that must be taken in minimum increments of, for example, a week. This can help managers optimize workload delegation. Purpose - - The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of the employer's wage policy on the wage dynamics of vulnerable groups of employees at large firms, including younger employees, employees on fixed-term contracts, and employees who take parental leave. Your session has expired. You want your employees to take a break from their work and enjoy the world outside. (Campaign Monitor,2019) Add an eye-catching subject line and body. Long Vacation Message. It also shows your employees that you don't need to spend needless extra time in the office to look busy if you're delivering on your goals. Start your free one-month trial today. Not to mention that according to SHRM, when employees take PTO, they're often more productive and exhibit lower stress and better mental health. - John Lie-Nielsen, One Park Financial 5. Find the latest news and members-only resources that can help employers navigate in an uncertain economy. We really want our employees to take their leave its yours to take and we hope you enjoy it. Select a Friday on the calendar and announce that the company will be giving everyone a paid day off. Annual allotment vs. accrual bank vs. unlimited? I've included a sample email template to send to your team today. Part time employees accrue vacation on a pro-rated basis. This is the same information in the Burnout Board, but its sent directly to you, so you dont risk overlooking it. Your Burnout Board highlights who on your team is overdue for a break: Your Burnout Board tells you how much time off someone has left to use, when the last time they took a day off was, and if they have any bookings coming up. According to global staffing firm Robert Half, 28 percent of U.S. office workers anticipated taking fewer days off in the summer months compared to last year because of concerns about COVID-19. Now that there is a boundary, people want to take time off, she explained. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM MENA "); All of my survey participants said it was important to take time off, but many were personally reluctant to unplug. Organizations that utilize a use it or lose it PTO approach may find HR overwhelmed by this careful balancing act during the holiday season. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(131307, '070b3b46-9e86-40d1-85c0-17bd895480dc', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); Crafting and following a comprehensive onboarding checklist ensures a consistent, As the cost of living continues to rise around the country, many employeesespecially HR professionals play an indispensable role within an organization. Here are 12 ways you can proactively encourage employees to take time off work: Encourage employees to take a digital detox. But a template doesnt do anything to solve the root of your annual leave problem. Vacations are necessary to help you re-charge and be your best in the office. Creating a COVID-19 vaccination policy is just the first stepnext you need to communicate the details to your employees. Many volunteers have been reluctant to go to the center amid the pandemic, which made it difficult for the 43 employees to take time off. Estimated Read Time: 4 minutes. For instance, you can give your employees the tools to help them unplug from work. Yet, few employees feel comfortable taking the time off they need, especially as travel plans and other vacations are cancelled. Even if our employees work from home, we ask when they are taking a 'vacation' even if it's a staycation. Be an example by taking and enjoying time off yourself. Putting a cap on this important time doesn't help our effort to achieve high levels of employee satisfaction and productivity. "Employees may wonder what to do with a week off all at once, so encourage them to take a long weekend, or even a day in the middle of the busy workweek, for a few weeks in a row to lighten their workload," Winn said. Im writing to remind you that we have an annual leave policy. Encourage Employees to Take a Digital Detox, Remind Employees about the Benefits of Taking Time Off, Make it a Habit to Unplug from Work Often, Show Employees that Work-life Balance is Important, Send Monthly Vacation Balance Reminders to Employees, Have One-on-One Meetings With Employees to Encourage Them to Take Some Time Off, Provide Employees with Tools to Help them Unplug From Work, Set Up an Out-of-office Reply that Promotes Relaxation, Encourage them to Do Something Unproductive, Sample Email to Encourage Employees to Take Annual Leave, Incentives for doing so; i.e., discounts on gift cards, An official no phone zone at work that includes no cell phones or laptops allowed during certain hours of the day, A designated area in the office where people can go when they need some space away from their devices, When you work for a company, you probably know that taking time off is good for your health and well-being. Down time is likely to be devoted to supporting good mental health rather than recreation or travel. We help you make things easy for everyone by giving you two things in this article: Lets be honest: You shouldnt really need letter templates. At this time I am proudly able to announce the reopening of Our Business on June 05, 2020. Fewer employees want to take vacations given that the pandemic has severely curtailed travel options. How does your company handle end-of-year time off requests? Energise your workforce. If you're in HR, use this email template to communicate to your staff regarding coronavirus and flu prevention. Here are six strategies on how managers can approach vacations when so much of the workforce is working from home. (Enovapoint, 2021) Using a name rather than a department in the sender line. Several of my clients executives and managers, along with their human resource partners are increasingly seeking guidance on how to unplug and recharge and encourage their employees to do the same. Taking time off might seem like an unnecessary luxury given that we all have deadlines looming over our heads all day long; however, these breaks allow both employers and employees to get away from our desks so they can relax and come back refreshed when they return. Taking a break from work can be a great way to recharge and re-energize, but it can also do a lot for your mental and physical health. I have been continuously suggesting people use their vacation time so they do not forfeit it at the end of the year and to ensure they are getting downtime. For example, one of my direct reports said she was not going to use her vacation as she did not have any plans. Weve given you three different templates above for informing someone about the leave theyre about to lose. If you have any questions, please contact [contact]. This sample leave restriction letter clearly states the company rules and actions against the failures. "They were very relieved [by the change in policy], and we are trying to reward them as much as possible for their work.". Everybody needs refreshment in their life from their work, so by looking into your hard work and sincerity towards your work, the company has decided to give you a leave for someday, and we will appreciate if you take it. In our company time off policy, it states that [X AMOUNT] of your annual leave will be carried over into the next year. That is why I would encourage employees to take days off by recommending they spend time with their families. Managers at HealthJoy are encouraged to talk with staff about their own planned time off, including sharing what they're looking forward to during their time away, Wilsonsaid. Paid time off is part of your compensation. "This helps reassure the employee that they can truly take time off to relax with family without feeling guilty or stressing out about checking e-mail and phone messages.". Please confirm that you want to proceed with deleting bookmark. You can use our sample leave of absence forms to encourage employees to take time off work. If you're like most Americans, it's likely been a while, as 55% of workers don't use all their paid time off. It doesn't have to be outside their home, where they can get infected, but within the boundaries of their home where they can bond with one another. Dear [Name of Manager], I would like to request for one week of leave from [DATE] to [DATE]. Overworked employees are unhappy, do not engage and do not contribute to a productive office environment. Tip#4: Ease any concerns about finishing your projects on time. If you have any questions about your leave balance, or how to book leave, please reach out to your manager. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concernsI look forward to hearing from you soon!. 'We understand you can't travel. But we know that unplugging from work is important.' Change the Way PTO is Discussed in Your Office. Unused vacations have cost U.S. businesses $224 billion a year. What Is a Dependent Care FSA and How Does It Work? var currentLocation = getCookie("SHRM_Core_CurrentUser_LocationID"); Download Template : (pdf, docs, ODT, RTF, txt, HTML, Epub, Etc), Subject: Letter to Encourage Employees to Take Vacations. "In the middle of a global pandemic? To give the company time to finalize schedules, team members are expected to submit requests by [date] through [communication method]. Take a stand against this trend of all work and little play. For example, from February to June, employees' risk for developing depressive disorders surged 54 percent while the risk of general anxiety jumped 41 percent, according to Total Brain, a San Francisco-based provider of mental health services. It's also important to clearly indicate who approves someone's holiday requests. Improving the quality of your break room gives employees the feeling that they are a valuable asset to the company and their overall happiness is essential. For example, include information about the notice required in advance of a holiday and how much notice is required to refuse a holiday request. When Crystal Brown-Tatum, a human resources manager at Dallas Summer Musicals, noticed that her staff members were accruing more paid time off (PTO) during the pandemic than they would be able to roll over in 2021, she sent out a list of road trips for employees to consider taking. Let them know that vacation can improve their relationships at work, as well as their productivity and morale. Follow this simple memo to staff on . They dont solve the root of your problem, which is finding out who on your team hasnt taken leave and giving your team a really easy way to book their holiday. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies. Leave request email template. What you say is less important than what you do. With the initial adrenaline rush of the crisis passed, vast numbers of my clients are reporting that they and their teams feel flayedand exhausted to the point of being useless, work demands are on the rise, and the time saved commuting has been converted to meetings that creep earlier into the day and fill the space between dinner and (a too-late) bedtime. Sample email to encourage employees to take annual leave - bank lfc encashment calculator Sub bill no gar-14 leave travel concession bill for the block year. Teams are feeling . $('.container-footer').first().hide(); The first step to dismissing any negative perceptions about taking time off is to reassure your employees that their jobs are safe. ". For example, if you are going on vacation next week but want to respond to emails while youre gone, consider using an auto-reply that says something like: I am currently out of the office on vacation until July 1st. Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor. You can reach me at [alternate contact info]. If you're going to be on vacation for a week or two, then it's essential you set up your vacation email. Sterling R. Morris, Intermountain Healthcare. Then encourage employees to incorporate those activities into their daily routine so they dont forget about them. Help staff ease back into work after their leave. [company] is committed to ensuring that employees make the most of their allotted PTO, so please coordinate with your manager or supervisor to utilize this policy. They are now allowed to carry over two weeks instead of just one. (See the bottom section for more information about this process.). There's more to PTO than making adjustments at the end of the year. Please log in as a SHRM member before saving bookmarks. 2. Employees need to feel that their organization understands work-life balance and that they are encouraged to take. Be happy when employees book time off. Vacation Request Letter: 4 Templates and Emails, Vacation Request Email to Boss Sample: 4 Examples, Holiday Request Letter to Manager: 4 Templates, Leave Extension Letter Example: 4 Templates, Holiday Request Letter example: 4 Templates, Leave Application Confirmation Letter: 4 Templates, Leave of Absence Letter Template: 4 Emails, Commercial Credit Analyst Cover Letter Example: 4 Templates, Commercial PropertyManager Cover Letter Example: 4 Templates, Commercial Real Estate Broker Cover Letter Example: 4 Templates, Commis Chef Cover Letter Example: 4 Templates, Clinical Application Specialist Cover Letter Example: 4 Templates. Not to mention that according to SHRM, when employees take PTO, theyre often more productive and exhibit lower stress and better mental health. Sabina Nawaz. If you miss the odd day, the world won't implode, but if people don't know you're away for a few weeks and they don't know exactly when you'll be back, or who they can contact in your place, you're going to have some unhappy clients or customers. Marketing | Branding | Blogging. As health officials urge everyone to stay close to home and limit contact with people outside their households during the winter holidays to stop the spread of the coronavirus, many workers are reluctant to use their PTOeven after they postponed summer vacation plans. This includes ensuring everyone takes their allotted time off and fostering a culture that doesn't make people feel hesitant to take their vacation days. Taking time off is something many people will avoid when job security is at the forefront of someones mind. You should send employees monthly reminders about how much time off they have available for use in the following year. Downloadable (with restrictions)! SHRM Employment Law & Compliance Conference, Heres How to Encourage Employees to Take PTO, New OSHA Guidance Clarifies Return-to-Work Expectations, Trump Suspends New H-1B Visas Through 2020, Faking COVID-19 Illness Can Have Serious Consequences, Report: Managers Have Bigger Impact on Employee Mental Health than Therapists, How to Handle Overtime, Meal Break and Other Wage and Hour Crises. When I take time off, I make sure I don't send emails or attempt advance work forward. Another option is for HR to implement PTO blackout dates. Many HR professionals across the country are struggling with how to convince employees to take vacation. One of the things employers can do to encourage PTO is to reduce meetings, which allows employees to have a clear schedule and take time off without fear of missing out on work information or opportunities, some experts say. You have always been a diligent, hard-working, and loyal team employee (mention the details). Use imagery around the office. In many companies, employees may even need to find coverage while they're out so their workload isn't interrupted. One way to encourage employees to take some time off is to have one-on-one meetings with them and discuss the importance of taking a break and enjoying some time off. It contributes to a great company culture. If you have any queries, you can reach our department of [Mention the details] at [mention phone number] or send your questions through an email at [mention the email address]. In these difficult times, weve made a number of our coronavirus articles free for all readers. Tip#3: Be sure to use the word "because" when explaining your reasons. And finally, activate your team by creating a plan where work is still accomplished, even as people are offline. advise the employee you would like them to take some of their annual leave, and. Home Letters Templates Encouragement Letters. We showcase this by offering our employees unlimited PTO. Talk through these fears and encourage them to use vacation time to spend more time with their families or to lay by the pool as a way to relax and unwind. You may want your employees to feel like theyre getting enough sleep, eating well, and exercisingand also having fun! Its very important that our employees stay balanced in their life. Please purchase a SHRM membership before saving bookmarks. This isn't unusual. Sometimes, it's also about finding ways to encourage employees to take well-deserved time off. Encouraging employees getting fresh air and exercise during work hours through outdoor breaks or fitness classes held onsite (many companies offer these types of perks). There are many good reasons to choose to get a vaccine , but the most important one is that . Asking employees to take a mandatory leave of absence can give both the employer and employee time to evaluate. Virtual & Washington, DC | February 26-28, 2023. Encourage holiday talk in your company. Gain the intel you need now to successfully anticipate and navigate employment laws, stay compliant and mitigate legal risks. 3. Using this circular for declaring holiday format, you can write leave circular for your own company. Learn how SHRM Certification can accelerate your career growth by earning a SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP. Here's how you can encourage your employees to take their vacation time this year, even if it's only a staycation: Set an example. Thank you for a great year. But do your employees? They can use that time as a mini-weekend getaway with their friends or family. Many companies are encouraging employees to take off half days, a day in the middle of the week, or a Monday or Friday to extend the weekend. Working from home doesnt mean working all the time. var currentLocation = getCookie("SHRM_Core_CurrentUser_LocationID"); Thank you for being a great leader. We are keen to hear your thoughts on the best way to motivate everyone in the workplace to get involved with our drive to be more energy efficient. You have always been a very loyal, hard-working, and passionate employee of our team (mention the details), and you have worked for a long time without taking any type of leaves. Employees should clearly understand your organization's vacation policy. If our content helps you to contend with coronavirus and other challenges, please consider subscribing to HBR. Here are 12 ways you can proactively encourage employees to take time off work: Contents hide 1 Encourage Employees to Take a Digital Detox 2 Remind Employees about the Benefits of Taking Time Off 3 Do What You Preach 4 Make it a Habit to Unplug from Work Often 5 Create Company Holidays 6 Show Employees that Work-life Balance is Important "I would encourage every employee to take the time off that they are entitled to and deserve." Employees are also reminded of the upcoming deadlines to use personal holiday hours or vacation carryover. We set very clear performance metrics with our employees and allow them flexibility in accomplishing those goals. Its not just our commute times that have been co-opted but also our vacations. Here are a few samples to help you draft the perfect vacation request letter. By giving your team the tools they need to see how much leave they have left to use, and book new requests, youre giving them what they need to take their holiday leave throughout the year. One way to encourage employees to take some time off is to have, Provide a list of fun activities or places nearby that are great for taking a break (e.g., If its nice out, try going on a hike!), Offer tips on how to stay focused on work while away from the office (e.g., Turn off notifications so they dont distract them!). This allows HR to properly plan work schedules and project deadlines around planned employee absences. else if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-mena.aspx") > -1) { People will be scared and caring about their health and source of income. Employees who are able to relax and spend time with their families often report higher job satisfaction than those who dont have this opportunity (and may even want more).