Managers, Encourage Your Team to Take Time Off

The current crisis is creating more urgency and more work. Teams are feeling exhausted, work demands are on the rise, and more and more time is devoted to work instead of ourselves. Yet, few employees feel comfortable taking the time off they need, especially as travel plans and other vacations are cancelled.

Managers need to rise to the occasion by encouraging time off from their employees. Here are six strategies on how managers can approach vacations when so much of the workforce is working from home. First, provide clarity about your time-off policy and any company, government, or health official guidelines and restrictions. Redefine “vacations” to mean more than just recreation and travel to include family time, caregiving, and self-care. Demonstrate care of your employees by offering flexibility, and model behaviors yourself by taking advantage of your own time off. Suggest shorter breaks more often, rather than weeklong vacations. And finally, activate your team by creating a plan where work is still accomplished, even as people are offline.