When working from home, encourage your employees to consider vacations as tools for focused family time, caregiving, and self-care. But if you dont use it by the end of the year, [DD/MM/YY], then your time off will reset for the new year. By providing a modest assortment of refreshments, snack options, and kitchen appliances, you'll make sure your employees feel like a critical part of the team. Now?" My coworker was incredulous. "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.". A vacation leave letter is a written request from employees to their company asking for approval for time off. For further queries, you can reach our management department at [mention phone number] or directly through an email [mention email address]. Sometimes we all need to take some time off and do something completely unproductive. Learn how SHRM Certification can accelerate your career growth by earning a SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP. 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. That also means that they're responsible for getting that work done and coordinating with other team members to make that happen. 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. "As employers, we have to be cognizant of the mental health impact that the pandemic is having," Pemberton said. This combination pushed the company to send an e-mail to its 600 employees last month asking each of them to take five days of vacation before the end of August, said Marketing | Branding | Blogging. Vacation leave letters may be addressed to your direct supervisor or the human resources department at your company. This power move does two things: One, it communicates that taking a vacation is okay and two, it reinforces that your company prioritizes employee wellness. Not to mention that according to SHRM, when employees take PTO, theyre often more productive and exhibit lower stress and better mental health. Members can get help with HR questions via phone, chat or email. Keep your communication and expectations open and transparent. 3. When was the last time you used your PTO to take a vacation? We would be very happy to give some of the savings we achieve in reduced electricity costs back to you. 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). Summary. If this is the case, HR should consider the following questions when auditing their time-off policy: To learn more about communicating these updates, use the template inthis BerniePortal resource. Remind staff to book annual leave in advance. Second, you also get Timetastics Firewire, which is sent out quarterly to you and any department managers you have on your team. "It's not necessarily time off, but we encourage our people on no-meeting days to do that extra load of laundry or have . Employees need to feel that their organization understands work-life balance and that they are encouraged to take. You have been a hard-working and sincere employee to our team; you have worked for so long without taking any half-day or leave. var currentLocation = getCookie("SHRM_Core_CurrentUser_LocationID"); Lisa Rabasca Roepe is a freelance writer based in Arlington, Va. You have successfully saved this page as a bookmark. But encouraging your employees to use their time off is a win for you and for them. Instead, you can rely on Timetastic a staff leave software that keeps you updated on who needs time off and gives your team an easy way to book their holidays. 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. If we take time away from work to recharge and reconnect with loved ones, we can return to work ready to approach our work with energy and purpose. Through a combination of this survey data and individual coaching conversations, here are six strategies for managers on how to approach vacations when so much of the workforce is working from home. If there is a negative narrative presented from either HR or management, employees will be fearful of requesting any time off. var currentUrl = window.location.href.toLowerCase(); Make booking leave from work easy. A smaller share (16 percent) are requiring employees to take vacation time, and another 22 percent are planning to take or considering that approach. Many HR professionals across the country are struggling with how to convince employees to take vacation. else if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-mena.aspx") > -1) { Please confirm that you want to proceed with deleting bookmark. the leave type), provide any more details (if necessary), and then submit their request. Be an example by taking and enjoying time off yourself. We are so happy to have you back at the Sunshine House. For instance, you can declare a day off for the entire organization: One of my clients, analytics company, Sisense, has scheduled a monthly company-sponsored, company-wide self-care day, where nobody works. When employees know that you value their time off and take it seriously, theyll be more likely to see the importance of taking time off themselves. Knowing who on your team is at risk of burnout or who has a lot of leave left to use is a huge win. Consider providing informal time off, increasing caps on maximum vacation accrual, and encouraging people to take breaks. Be open and transparent. Noticing that managers are deluding themselves about their own and team members productivity, I surveyed clients and heard back from 20 of them in companies ranging from startups to Fortune 30 and universities located across the U.S. Dear Valued Customer, We are beyond grateful for your continued support and loyalty to our brand and services. You must provide the employee with notice that you require them to take annual leave, in line with the . With nowhere to go and much to adjust to, most people have cancelled not only their travel reservations but their time off as well. Teams are feeling exhausted, work demands are on the rise, and more and more time is devoted to work instead of ourselves. Additionally, employees will become more conscious of scheduling their breaks. On the other hand, your business operations may permit you to allow employees to take vacation time on a day-by-day basis. }); if($('.container-footer').length > 1){ agree on a time for the employee to take the leave. This is the same information in the Burnout Board, but its sent directly to you, so you dont risk overlooking it. People will be scared and caring about their health and source of income. Build specialized knowledge and expand your influence by earning a SHRM Specialty Credential. The reply should explain when the employee will be away and for how long, but also include some language that indicates that the employee is taking a break from work and is not available during this time. Due to the sluggish economy, employees hesitate to take time off, and/or do not disconnect 100% while on vacation, often checking in once a day or scanning emails.Failing to take vacation days can result in higher levels of stress and greater levels of disengagement at 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. Note that due to the busy nature of this time of year, some requests may not be approved, depending on availability and workload. (Campaign Monitor,2019) 3. to. 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. Managers might also consider reducing the number of meetings around the holidays, or making Mondays and Fridays meeting-free days from Thanksgiving until the end of the year to encourage employees to extend their weekends. On A Mission to Help Small Businesses to Be a Brand. Smith speculated that employees didn't see the point in taking time off when they were working from home just to stay at home. Here are some ways you can encourage employees to step away from their devices: Sometimes employees hesitate to take time off because they feel they will be distracted from getting all work-related emails and then having to reply to them instantly. First, provide clarity about your time-off policy and any company, government, or health official guidelines and restrictions. At Workhuman, surveys showed that employee stress was on the rise and vacation requests were running below 2019 levels. Harvards Leslie Perlow showed how consultants at Boston Consulting Group made significant progress in job satisfaction, work-life balance, and collaboration and effectiveness by taking predictable time off from their cell phones while ensuring that their work is covered by a fellow team member during that time. Ease the numbness induced with back-to-back video calls and a long to-do list by reinventing vacations and time off, and encouraging your team to do the same. Here are five tactics that can make a difference: 1. Being transparent about leave policies allows individuals to consciously weigh trade-offs and enables everyone to operate from the same set of principles. 3 templates for reminding your employees to take annual leave Template #1: Reminding your employee that the end of the year's approaching and their holiday time doesn't carry over Template #2: Informing your employee that they missed the cut-off for taking their leave (and explaining how your carry-over policy works) Dear [RECIPIENT'S NAME], In this case, make a simple process for reaching out and interacting with coworkers to find coverage for time off. These employee thank you letters are a perfect way to show the company's gratitude to some employees or even peers for their hard work and effort, as well as their accomplishment to a project. 1. ". someone who can approve or decline leave requests) logs into Timetastic, they can see the remaining leave allowances for everyone on the team. In, Template: PTO Communication to Remind Employees to Use Time Off Hours, more productive and exhibit lower stress and better mental health, There's more to PTO than making adjustments at the end of the year. } This is especially helpful in getting high performers or those gunning for a promotion to take vacation time. We know that not everyone feels comfortable taking time off work, but trust me: its worth it! 3) who you are leaving in charge of any project should an emergency or immediate question arise. 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. advise the employee you would like them to take some of their annual leave, and. This will help ensure that your employees use their paid time off and dont miss out on valuable benefits. This policy is based on mutual trust . All PTO requests and approvals will be tracked using [system]. What Is a Dependent Care FSA and How Does It Work? document.head.append(temp_style); You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. Ask employees to create a vacation plan and mark the due date for filing leaves on their calendars. Practice what you preach. $('.container-footer').first().hide(); Please purchase a SHRM membership before saving bookmarks. Remind employees to schedule annual leave in advance Have an open talk with your employees about their unused annual leave. "With the holidays coming up, we'll continue to remind employees that taking time to recharge benefits everyone, and it will help them be in a better mindset for what will hopefully be a much less chaotic 2021," she said. You know who hasnt taken enough time off, and you dont have to trawl through spreadsheets to find out, since its delivered directly to you. This letter is to inform you on behalf of the company [mention the name of the company or the organization for which the letter is being written] that I, the [mention designation of the sender] of [mention name of the department], would like to encourage you, as our employee, to take a small leave for some days from your work. Encourage employees to walk out of the office, turn off their cell phones, shut down the computer, focus on just themselves for at least a couple of hours and simply ask them to enjoy your time. I will be back at work on [DATE]. Format #1. To learn more about communicating these updates, use the template in, federal holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, human resources information system (HRIS), this collection of common PTO questions and answers. HR leaders should also train managers on vacation policies, and encourage employees to speak to HR if they have concerns about taking time off. Posted on August 4, 2021 Pay attention to your email's header and the design of its body . }); if($('.container-footer').length > 1){ If you're in HR, use this email template to communicate to your staff regarding coronavirus and flu prevention. How to Encourage Your Team to Use Employee Vacation Time 1. Employees receive their allotted PTO at the beginning of the calendar year. Otherwise, theyll burn out quickly (and possibly quit). You can do this by offering the following: When you work for a company, you probably know that taking time off is good for your health and well-being. 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. You have successfully saved this page as a bookmark. Employees often postpone PTO because they worry about who will take up the slack while they are out, said LauraHandrick, a contributing HR professional at Choosing Therapy, a Brooklyn-based website that helps educate the public about the benefits of therapy. To keep your mind and body healthy, its important to take some time for yourself every once in a while. Managers, Encourage Your Team to Take Time Off. Dear Dean, Welcome back! 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. Model time away, standardize. This helps reduce the risk of burnout, and it helps reduce any stress your team may feel as the year comes to a close and everyone on your staff is trying not to lose their holiday time. 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. We were worried about you during your absence, and I speak for everyone here when I say that we are all thankful for your quick recovery. "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. John Linden, an interior designer at MirrorCoop, a custom-mirror company in Los Angeles, was so desperate for employees to take time off that he began buying them tickets to local museums so they might consider fun and socially distanced activities for their days off. They are now allowed to carry over two weeks instead of just one. **Note to employees who are projected to have annual leave that otherwise would be subject to forfeiture 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. 4.2.2 Earning Vacation. When some of your employees are using time off, share that information with the rest of the team and encourage them to do so as well. 11+ Vacation Policy Examples - PDF, Word. To all employees: COVID-19 is unpredictable. } Some fear that taking time off may make them appear less dedicated or essential, attributes that no one wants to project amid layoffs across many industries. Long Vacation Message. The SHRM Blog does not accept solicitation for guest posts. We've all missed you, and the residents have been anxious for your return. They worry that workers' reluctance to take time off is only adding to the anxiety, stress and other mental health problems caused by COVID-19 and the recession. Teams are feeling . Members can get help with HR questions via phone, chat or email. You can reach me at [alternate contact info]. 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. There's more to PTO than making adjustments at the end of the year. Research shows that, thanks to remote work, we're spending an average. ref: ltc sanction order no dt (copy to be enclosed) note: this bill should be prepared in duplicate-one for payment and the other as office copy. Subject Line: Please join us as we re-open our doors on June 05, 2020. To help employees feel comfortable taking time off, its important to set up an out-of-office reply that promotes relaxation. var temp_style = document.createElement('style'); "In the middle of a global pandemic? 1) all the projects you recently finished or are currently working on. Thats what we will discuss next. Learn how SHRM Certification can accelerate your career growth by earning a SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP. We send two emails per month max. $(document).ready(function () { Use imagery around the office. On his next half day off, he plans to go for a bike ride and camp on his deck with his daughters. A company's leaders ultimately need to set the tone for the company's vacation policy. And there are plenty of ways to do so. Otherwise, youre heading for burnout and thats bad for everyone. In this section, we show how Timetastic, our staff leave app, helps your team take their holidays throughout the year. That said, human resources personnel should also communicate regular reminders to employees about making the most of their PTO throughout the year. In an age where 24/7 connectivity and increasing workloads are the norms, it can be hard for employees to take time off. To request permission for specific items, click on the reuse permissions button on the page where you find the item. Vacation Request Email to Boss Sample: 4 Examples Holiday Request Letter to Manager: 4 Templates Annual Leave Letter: 4 Templates Leave Extension Letter Example: 4 Templates Holiday Request Letter example: 4 Templates Engineer Farewell Letter: 28 templates Leave of Absence Letter Template: 4 Emails Leave Application Confirmation Letter: 4 Templates How Companies Can Encourage Employees to Use Their Vacation Time. Ensure youre clear about your organizations current time-off policy and communicate it to your team. 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. I Am a Self-Taught Marketer with 10 Years of Experience. This could include switching from an accrual bank or lump sum benefit to unlimited PTO, which eliminates the risk of expensive year-end payouts for unused vacation days. You will need to demonstrate through your own actions that youre serious about time off. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies. Let them know that vacation can improve their relationships at work, as well as their productivity and morale. Virtual & Washington, DC | February 26-28, 2023. Everyone needs time off work. More employees began requesting vacations in June, but they pulled back again in mid-July July as virus cases roared back, according to Zenefits, a San Francisco-based benefits provider. We need to refuel early and often. So why not encourage your employees to try scheduling an extra day off on a Friday or Monday once in a while? To help businesses, Paycor is offering businesses a sample communication letter sharing your vaccination policy. We asked nine thought leaders to share their best advice on how to encourage employees to take some well-deserved time off. We live in Virginia and many drives that are beautiful. How does employee seniority impact PTO benefits? Informal vacation request email Subject: Vacation request June 1-15 Hi Jean, I'd like to request vacation time from Monday, June 1st through Tuesday the 15th. It was hard for all survey respondents to know what to do with an extended vacation of more than a week. To minimize employees' lost days, 24 percent of companies are planning to increase carryover limits.