The importance of giving your staff a break when needed (and deserved)

Since the pandemic, and making the switch to working from home, how many of you have found you’ve been working more? Whilst having your work laptop at home and equipment is handy, many employees find it ups the need to be switched on 24/7. As well as this, whether you like it or loathe it, working from home does have an effect on our daily lifestyle, and whilst there are many positives when it comes to the flexibility side of the coin, there are also negatives in regard to mental health. Longer working hours, plus, getting out and about less and less, alongside living through a life changing pandemic that none of us has had experience in before is all pretty heavy stuff – and the majority of our mental health has taken a serious hit with this. 

Fortunately, some employers have taken initiative – by rewarding their employees with additional time off, in order to relax, recharge and come back with a fresh attitude and perspective – something that will not only benefit the employees, but the company as well. One of the first major players to do this was LinkedIn, who gave their teams a week off back in April, around 16,000 people. Whilst they still worked with a core team, those employees were then permitted to take that time off at a later date, meaning that no one missed out. They decided to do this following a cross-company survey, noticing that employees were experiencing burnout, due to the weight of the pandemic.  

Next up, was Bumble, who experienced a massive growth due to many more people using the dating app to combat loneliness during the pandemic. During this time the company went public, experienced a 31% increase of people using the app and grew in popularity. The company is led by a female CEO who prioritises flexible working and employee welfare.  

Most recently, Nike have echoed the behaviour of LinkedIn and Bumble, also giving employees in their global headquarters in Oregon a week off after a successful year and their stock gaining 20%. Whilst all companies may not have the luxury or resource to combat burnout during these exceptionally stressful times, others are seeking out alternatives to help clear their employee’s schedules and minds. Be it a day where meetings are banned, an early finish Friday or a surprise bonus, companies are now aware that it’s more than just a salary and benefits package they need to appeal to the best talent and retain their employees – it’s about the day-to-day lifestyle of working within the company itself.