Summer means workers are finally using up their vacation time, but for Americans, getting them to do so can be maddening.
Americans often take less vacation than professionals in other countries, largely due to the lack of paid time benefits offered in the country. In fact, Americans were found to take six fewer days off than the global average of 18 days.
Companies often have to base their time-off policies on government regulations, but when a country has very few, workers suffer. This becomes increasingly complicated with a distributed workforce that features employees from different parts of the world.
To address this, leaders of remote companies may be better off implementing a widespread time-off policy that supports every worker, such as unlimited time off.
Marisol Hughes, executive vice president and general counsel of WilsonHCG, says U.S. employees working alongside UK employees that are entitled to 28 days off a year could start to “feel resentment, which is understandable.”
Taking matters into their own hands, organizations are adopting more flexibility to encourage workers to take time off. This is most effective when managers set an example, showing employees that not only is it good to take time to rest, it’s essential to business longevity.
“If the executives aren’t taking time off, what does that say to the rest of the organization?” said Melanie Langsett, Leader of Rewards, Recognition and Well-being at Deloitte U.S.
