How to help employees take vacation—even when they’re stressed

Promote better work-life balance within your company by encouraging your employees to take some time off. Make it a habit to encourage them to recharge and when possible, provide paid time off so they don’t have the added stress of losing out on pay. Many business owners even attribute paid time off to increased productivity and retention, and enthusiasm about work.

However, simply telling your employees to take more time off isn’t often effective, but there are ways you can lead your teams that make time off a natural part of your work culture.

1. Lead by example.

Employees need to see their managers lead by example, making their own health a priority by taking days to recharge even when their schedules are full. When managers or leaders refuse to step away, it sets a precedence that employees should follow suit—which can harm morale, productivity, and overall work satisfaction. It can also lead to exhaustion and burnout for managers and employees alike.

Managers who step away, and who are genuinely happy to see their employees do the same, encourage better balance and ultimately inspire their employees to take their work time more seriously.

2. Create effective systems and processes.

Develop systems and processes where employees can take a mental health day from work without their teams falling apart. This could include tracking workload details through a project management system and having regular meetings so others know what’s happening across the entire team.

In many companies, employees may even need to find coverage while they’re out so their workload isn’t interrupted. In this case, make a simple process for reaching out and interacting with coworkers to find coverage for time off.

3. Be open and transparent.

Keep your communication and expectations open and transparent. As you strive to be open with your employees you’re more likely to create an environment where they can express themselves and communicate their needs. You’re also better able to make suggestions that may help them recharge and restore work-life balance. Suggestions may range from taking a few minutes of downtime each day to a few days off entirely.

As you get to know your employees through open dialogue, you’ll be able to gauge their needs and better help them move forward and explore their vacation benefits. You may also want to remind them that vacation time is a part of their compensation, and by not using it they’re leaving money on the table.