More than 54 percent of employees ended 2016 with unused vacation time which breaks down to 662 million days. Why is there no longer value in taking time off? Many employees feel that their career will be negatively affected, or are too overwhelmed at the thought of being away from the office. The truth is, taking vacation has a positive impact on employees. From reducing burnout to driving career growth, using vacation time can be the key to individual and business success. Here are some reasons why you should encourage employees to take their vacation time.
Vacations reduce burnout
Burnout can lead to health issues and higher turnover rates for businesses. Taking vacation time can alleviate burnout by 81 percent, as well as boost morale and improve overall health and wellbeing. Work is stressful, especially when the mundane routine of sitting at a desk week after week begins to set in. While vacation may not be an all-encompassing cure for stress, sitting on a warm, sunny beach or spending time with family is a great way to rejuvenate and rest your mind.
Days off drive career growth
Having opportunity for advancement is a must for most employees. No one wants to stay stagnant in their career. Recent studies found that employees who take all of their vacation time, increase their chances of getting promoted and getting a raise by 6.5 percent, compared to those who leave 11 or more days unused. When employees take the time to reset, they often come back with a more creative mindset, seeing issues from new angles with better problem-solving abilities.
Improved recruiting efforts
Talent acquisition and retention are vitally important to the success of a business. While salary is important for job seekers, many also take note of the company culture. Flexibility and vacation time are cultural elements which are especially attractive to potential hires. Seventy-four percent of those searching for a job state that paid vacation time is an extremely important element in their search. By offering a generous vacation policy and encouraging employees to utilize it, your recruiting efforts will significantly improve.
Increased productivity
Happy employees are often more productive employees. When the brain thinks positively, productivity improves by 31 percent with creativity and revenues nearly tripling. Every business strives to drive results in order to stay ahead of the competition. Taking advantage of personal and family time away from the office often leads to happier individuals upon returning to work. Encouraging employees to take vacation is not only beneficial for them, but also your bottom line.
Business success starts with productivity from your workforce. For more tips on how to motivate employees and drive revenue, check out our blog!
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