Now Is the Time for Employers to Stress PTO

Businesses that operated throughout the pandemic relied on the stamina of their employees. Many worked from home, carving out space separate from spouses and roommates also trying to work remotely while children needed assistance with eLearning. Essential workers toiled on the frontlines of the pandemic, risking their health to assure facilities were cleaned and products were manufactured and distributed.

As many of these workers return to the office and those who remained onsite continue to put in extra hours, it may seem like now is the time to continue full steam ahead. However, with the build-up of paid time off (PTO) due to people putting off vacations, employers should encourage their workers to make plans to take all the PTO they have coming to them for their well-being and mental health, TLNT Talent Management & HR reports

A survey of employee attitudes in 2020 found that among 1,000 U. S employees surveyed, 28% reported they had lost vacation time in the last few years. While employees had an average of 18 PTO days, they only took 16 days off.

The reasons employees gave for not taking all time off due to them included:

• Too much work to accomplish to take a vacation (58%)
• Feeling guilty about taking vacation days (27%)
• Wanting to prove they are a hard worker (26%)
• Feeling like vacations are pointless because they cannot disconnect from work (26%).

The survey also found that one in five Americans (20%) feel their company shames employees who take allotted vacation time.

Company leaders need to be clear about PTO expectations and stress the importance of taking a break. They can do this by scheduling time to communicate with their employees about the company’s vacation policy, why it exists, and how employees should approach time off. Leaders should encourage managers to check in with their direct reports about their vacation allotment and work with them to plan PTO into their calendars.

Learn about the benefits of taking time off and achieving a work-life balance.