True support at work means taking time off when you need it most
Paid leave for events like the birth of a grandchild or the death of a pet is at the employer’s discretion.
The following contribution is from the Financial Times website and is written by Bethan Staton.
Hello and welcome to Working It.
I’m Bethan Staton, Deputy Work and Careers Editor, replacing Isabel today and next week.
Bethan is the Deputy Editor of the FT’s Work and Careers section, covering all work-related issues. Previously, she covered education and public policy and was a reporter for the FT’s Women’s Fund, including economics and transport.
Before joining the FT, Bethan was a reporter at Sky News and a freelancer in Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and Egypt.
The heatwave has finally subsided here in London, at least for now. I’ve been thinking about how rising temperatures will affect our working lives: from the dangerous conditions workers face globally to the impacts of heat on productivity.
My climate colleagues wrote an excellent article on this a couple of years ago. But how are readers affected now?
Elsewhere in the world of work, the UK government has been forced to make a radical shift in welfare benefits, intensifying scrutiny, among other things, on efforts to get more disabled people into work.
Ministers had presented the changes as part of a larger effort to increase the proportion of people in employment, but there are other ways to achieve this, such as thinking about how we can integrate work more creatively into our lives.
Time off for important events depends on a flexible manager.
Last week, I came across a concept for improving work-life balance that got me thinking about time off.
It’s called «lifetime leave»: a few extra days or weeks of paid time off, offered to employees beyond annual leave, to deal with the everyday obligations, inconveniences (and sometimes even pleasures) that life throws at them.
Maybe you have to take your mother to the doctor, wait at home for someone to fix the refrigerator, or go to your child’s sports day.
Clarion Housing Group, one of the few companies I found that offers this benefit, gives its employees five days of milestone leave: «fully paid and flexible» time off for «significant personal events,» like moving, taking exams, or just when something unexpected happens.
Feeling supported by the company
«We want our employees to feel supported in every aspect of their lives,» said Catrin Jones, Clarion’s chief people officer.
That «means going beyond traditional policies to create a culture where they feel trusted, empowered, and valued.»
Sounds great. But I also wondered if this kind of leave is really that rare.
Isn’t giving a hard-working team member the morning off to deal with an exploding washing machine or a sick parent simply being an understanding boss?
The same thing has come to mind when reading about specific, trendy leaves, such as grandparent leave, heartbreak leave, or bereavement time.
A Culture of Understanding
It all sounds great at first. But would it be better to offer flexible working policies and a culture of understanding, support, and trust so that staff can decide which situations warrant time away from the office?
According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, many employers believe so.
A 2023 report found that nearly two-thirds of organizations offered remote working on a regular or ad hoc basis, and more than half offered their staff «informal flexibility.» This wasn’t just limited to office-based jobs: 65% of organizations offered some degree of flexibility to frontline workers.
In the UK, all employees have the right to request flexible working and annual leave.
There are also some statutory rights to time off for family emergencies, which are generally unpaid and restrictive.
However, as management professor Ellen Ernst Kossek points out, the provision is much better than in the United States.
Kossek supports informal flexibility, calling it «idiosyncratic treatment,» which sounds nice, but a little unreliable. That’s also one of its downsides. Leaving things up to the employer’s discretion is great for those who work in an environment of trust and fairness, not so much for those with tyrannical bosses. «Organizations are patchy,» says Kossek. «What you’re looking for is a consistent policy.»
Still, she’s not keen on the idea of «doling out leave willy-nilly.»
Hyper-specific policies may please some employees but unfairly exclude others, especially in a diverse workforce (think of someone getting paid time off for a pet bereavement while their colleague can’t get the same to take their parents to the hospital).
Also, «Do I really want my boss to know I’m going through menopause?»
Kossek advocates for a generous «amount» of protected leave that can be used for a variety of things, that isn’t specific, and that’s available to all staff. I think the life event leave adopted by Clarion fits the bill: the company emphasizes that the leave is inclusive and based on trust and discretion. But it’s also only part of the puzzle.
At the CIPD, Claire McCartney, policy and practice manager, says that «embedding a broader culture of support» and flexibility is crucial for effective leave policies.
This involves training for managers, but also careful planning. And, potentially, investment.
As Kossek reminded me, flexibility must be an integral part of the system.
Colleagues must be present to cover staff absences, and increasing the stress of those who are present doesn’t make for a good policy. What may be simple in working from any computer at any time is also very different in customer service.
Ultimately, a flexible work culture, based on mutual respect and accommodating the chaos of life, is beneficial for employees and for the companies that care about attracting and retaining them.
But it’s not enough to rely on managers and teams to achieve it alone. «More formal paid time off is needed, but we also need to create a culture of care,» says Kossek.
Can corporate preventive health plans prevent people from missing work due to illness? Some employers believe so, and are stepping in to help staff where government services fall short.
Help Your Employees Find Purpose or Prepare to Leave
The following contribution is from a McKinsey report and was authored by Naina Dhingra, Andrew Samo, Bill Schaninger, and Matt Schrimper.
About the Author(s)
Naina Dhingra is a partner in McKinsey’s New York office; Andrew Samo is a Montreal alumnus; Bill Schaninger is a senior partner in the Philadelphia office; and Matt Schrimper is a consultant in the New Jersey office.
Employees expect their jobs to provide a meaningful sense of purpose. Employers must help meet this need or be prepared to lose talent to companies that will.
If the turmoil of 2020 has prompted your organization or leadership team to reconsider people priorities, such as employee well-being, resilience, or purpose, you’re not out of luck.
Your employees are reconsidering you, too.
Reflecting on Each Person’s Individual Purpose
Nearly two-thirds of American employees surveyed said COVID-19 has caused them to reflect on their life purpose.
And nearly half said they are reconsidering their work due to the pandemic. Millennials were three times more likely than others to say they were reevaluating their jobs.
These findings have implications for your company’s talent management strategy and its results.
People who live their purpose at work are more productive than those who don’t.
They are also healthier, more resilient, and more likely to stay with the company.
Furthermore, when employees feel their purpose is aligned with the organization’s, the benefits broaden to include greater engagement, greater loyalty, and a greater willingness to recommend the company.
However, if you’re like most senior executives, you haven’t given much thought to your employees’ individual purpose.
The topic is deeply personal, potentially inaccessible to employers, and seemingly as uncomfortable to broach as it is to actively foster.
Despite these challenges, our research revealed that 70% of employees said their sense of purpose is defined by their work.
So, whether you like it or not, as a company leader, you play an important role in helping your employees find and live their purpose.
And you have a lot of work ahead of you: our survey also revealed disparities in how frontline employees and other groups feel supported—or frustrated—in living their purpose at work.
In this article, we describe the role work can play in individual purpose, highlight what employees expect from their employers and what they don’t get, and outline what you can start doing about it.
The prize? If you get it right, you can help your company become a better place to work and tap into the enormous potential of a purpose-driven workforce, aligned with a purpose-driven organization.
But beware: purpose isn’t just «another corporate initiative.» You can’t impose it.
And if you approach your people with inconsistency, hypocrisy, or arrogance, you’ll likely do more harm than good to the organization and your reputation.
Understanding Purpose at Work
To understand the challenge, we surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. employees about individual purpose and the work and personal outcomes associated with it.
The survey is part of ongoing McKinsey research to better understand the role of purpose in organizations.
Before analyzing the findings, it’s helpful to consider the context in which individual purpose operates at work, as well as the unique challenges it presents for employers.
Individual purpose can be thought of as an enduring, overarching sense of what matters in a person’s life; people experience purpose when they strive to achieve something meaningful.
There are clear patterns, or archetypes of purpose, that help employers categorize what people find meaningful, but ultimately, a person’s purpose can be as varied as the people themselves.
In short, while companies and their leaders can have a great deal of influence on their employees’ individual purpose, their direct control over it is limited.
Therefore, companies need to approach their employees in their own circumstances to help them optimize their sense of job satisfaction.
To better understand how to achieve this, consider the conceptual relationship between a person’s purpose and their work.
Each person’s purpose may be unique, but a portion, large or small, comes from forces external to work, just as another portion comes from daily work.
Support employees in their current situation to help them achieve job fulfillment.
If an employee finds very little purpose in their work, the size of the middle circle will be smaller. Conversely, if another person finds their work very useful, it will be larger. Intuitively, the size of the core circle represents the portion of personal purpose accessible through work, as well as the degree of purpose employees seek in their work, and it can grow or shrink. Employers should consider this core circle as a goal they strive to understand and achieve. They should influence its expansion, whenever possible.
The innermost circle (the organizational purpose) represents the company’s means of influence; it is the only aspect of purpose that organizations control. How? By establishing a corporate purpose that considers the company’s role and contribution to society, and by providing employees with meaningful ways to reflect on the company’s efforts and their impact. Companies can also exert influence by improving the underlying health of the organization and its culture, driving inclusion and the employee experience, and transforming work itself.
As a company leader, you want the organization’s relatively small sphere of influence to expand to match the size of employees’ sense of purpose at work (the core circle). The closer the company gets to that, the more fulfilled the employee feels. Furthermore, a closer fit provides the company with more opportunities for employees to seek (and expect) greater purpose at work and feel more aligned with the organization’s purpose.
The key word here is «earned.» Remember, when it comes to purpose, you only have access to what your people allow you. Your first task is to figure out what they want and then see if they’re getting it.
What Employees Want and What They Get
Your employees are likely seeking more purpose at work than they are getting. For starters, we know that employees at all levels of the organization report wanting purpose in their lives. 89% of respondents agreed, a proportion that closely matches academic research.
Furthermore, 70% of employees surveyed stated that their sense of purpose is largely defined by work.
The senior executives in our sample slightly raised that average, but still, two-thirds of non-executive employees stated that work defines their purpose. This represents a clear opportunity for employers and leaders: an open door to encourage employees at all levels to develop and live their purpose at work.
However, when we asked whether people live their purpose in their daily work, the gap between executives and the rest of the organization multiplied. While 85% of executives and senior management reported living their purpose at work, only 15% of managers and frontline employees agreed. Even worse, nearly half of these employees disagreed, compared to only a few executives and senior management (Exhibit 2).
There is a marked purpose gap between senior management and frontline staff.
This gap in the hierarchy of purpose extends to feelings of job satisfaction. Executives are nearly eight times more likely than other employees to report that their purpose is fulfilled at work. Similarly, executives are nearly three times more likely than others to report that they rely on work to achieve their purpose. Interestingly, the group that most relies on work to achieve their purpose, across all roles, is parents (see the «Meet the Parents» box).
Finally, we sought to quantify the scope of the overall challenge for businesses by comparing respondents’ responses, regardless of their role, to questions about their desired and actual states.
This revealed that only 18% of respondents believed they get as much purpose from work as they would like. 62% stated that while they get some purpose from work, they want even more.
Understand the Implications
You might consider «getting something but wanting even more» to be quite good, especially if you lead or manage large groups of people. You would be wrong. These less satisfied respondents reported lower average work and life outcomes than their more satisfied peers: from a lower sense of energy and life satisfaction to lower engagement, satisfaction, and enthusiasm for work (Exhibit 3). Negative work and life outcomes for employees inevitably translate into negative outcomes for the business.
Employees who get the purpose they desire at work report better work and life outcomes than their less satisfied peers.
Moreover, the subtlety of some findings about frontline employees masks deeper issues. Why, for example, are front-line managers and employees much less likely than others to rely on work to help them find purpose?
The numbers suggest that short-sighted leaders may be conditioning them to feel this way. In fact, when we looked at the data in depth, we found that front-line managers and employees were ten times less likely than their management-level colleagues to report having had opportunities to reflect on their purpose, and nine times less likely to report that a manager had provided them with opportunities to work on purposeful projects.
Likewise, managers don’t seem to be doing much to share the bigger picture with their frontline colleagues, who were three times less likely than leaders to say they see a connection between their daily work and the organization’s purpose.
While these gaps should be concerning—many of the employees closest to your products and customers may have stopped trusting you for the purpose they claim to desire—the findings also offer hope.
When employees at any level say their purpose is fulfilled through their work, the work and personal outcomes they report are two to five times higher than those reported by their dissatisfied peers. And this finding holds true regardless of whether employees currently rely on work for their purpose.
In other words, organizations should aim to ensure their employees’ purpose is fulfilled at work, regardless of whether they initially think they depend on work for it. Employees, and the organization, benefit either way.
Act wisely.
The decisions that company leaders and managers make are the key factor in helping employees fulfill their purpose at work. By making better decisions now, you can make a positive difference in the lives of your colleagues and in the company’s performance. Here are three ways to focus your efforts:
- Start with the organization’s purpose (hint: the only thing you directly control).
It may seem counterintuitive to first analyze the organization’s purpose in the hopes of supporting your employees’ life purpose, but remember: you do control this part. Does your company meaningfully consider its role in society? Do senior executives use the company’s purpose as a guide for making tough decisions and trade-offs? If your company’s purpose is just a sign on the wall, you’re wasting everyone’s time. If you talk about purpose but don’t deliver it, the results can be devastating.
If you’re not sure your leaders are delivering on it, start reviewing it. Some companies use internal scorecards to monitor the commitment of leaders, employees, and other stakeholders to the organizational purpose. Routine measurement helps leaders foster buy-in, detect problems early, and take appropriate action. Some companies go further and integrate purpose metrics into their leaders’ performance reviews.
One action you can take today is to start spending time with your team reflecting on the company’s impact on the world. Again: this has to be earned. Sending cringe-worthy emails to your team about corporate social responsibility initiatives that seem disconnected from the team’s daily experience will only inspire cynicism. You’re looking for dialogue, not monologue. Still, when authentic and well-managed, reflections on the bigger picture can inspire a sense of purpose. Our survey found that employees are five times more likely to be excited about working for a company that takes time to reflect on its impact on the world.
- Reflect, connect, repeat
When employees have the opportunity to reflect on their own sense of purpose and how it connects to the company’s purpose, good things happen. Respondents who have these opportunities are nearly three times more likely than others to feel their purpose is fulfilled at work. Make it a habit in your company.
While leadership workshops and storytelling sessions can be good forums for this, keep in mind that the underlying problem you’re trying to solve could be in your leadership environment. Managers need to be prepared to share their own purpose with others, for example, and be vulnerable in ways they’re likely not used to in order to role model and pass these skills on to their colleagues. And you must pass them on: Respondents whose managers didn’t provide opportunities to reflect on purpose were only 7% more likely to actually fulfill it at work.
Take a close look at your managers and leaders. Do they cultivate compassionate leadership, or is their attitude more akin to «stop complaining»? Ask yourself: Is my team comfortable sharing personal details with me? Few things are more personal than life purpose, and if psychological safety in your company is low, you’ll never learn about it firsthand. When employees in our survey reported experiencing low psychological safety, they were 0.5% likely to say their purpose at work had been fulfilled.
- Help people live their purpose at work
63% of respondents said they wish their employer provided more opportunities to find purpose in their daily work. Ways to achieve this need need to be found.
Many companies are tempted to meet this need by implementing programs that support employees’ purposeful impulses wherever they find them: in the community, for example, or even around the world. Some companies offer paid time off for these activities.
While these efforts are laudable, and even beneficial, they are not a good solution to the problem our survey identified. Your starting point should be opportunities that help employees find more personal meaning in their daily work. By helping employees live their purpose at work, you’ll allow them to feel more fulfilled. And when work aligns with the company’s purpose, that sense of fulfillment benefits the company as well.
Consider the example of the North American insurance company USAA, under the leadership of Joe Robles, who then headed the company. To establish a commitment to his core customer base in the US military community, Robles (who retired from USAA in 2015) required all employees to participate in a four-day orientation session. Town hall meetings and other forums reinforced the effort, encouraging employees to ask questions and share ideas on how to fulfill their purpose.
Purpose-driven employees put in more effort and are more likely to innovate.
As reported in 2018, USAA employees collectively submitted more than 10,000 ideas to the company each year to improve the customer experience. Nearly 900 had been granted patents, including 25 created by one of the company’s security guards.
Community meetings and immersive small-group sessions may not seem as appealing as paid time off to do good in the world, but they are far more effective at helping employees begin to see the good they can contribute to their daily work.
Many people spend most of their waking hours at work, so creating space for the little things to acquire purpose can quickly translate into better work experiences and environments for everyone.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led people around the world to reevaluate their lives and work, and many now expect their jobs to be a significant source of purpose in their lives.
Employers, whether ready or not, will need to help meet this need or be prepared to lose talent to companies that do. The good news? The benefits of getting your individual purpose right are substantial, self-reinforcing, and extend not only to employee well-being but also to company performance.
The Power of Taking Time Off
Why It’s Essential for Your Well-Being
The following post is from the Medium website and is written by Ashley Sole, who covers topics such as Leadership, Life, and Money in Writing.
A few years ago, I went out to lunch with my dad. We went to a barbecue restaurant on Carnaby Street, London. I worked nearby and managed to get an hour off to meet him.
We met outside the restaurant, sat down, and started chatting for a while. I mentioned I had a week off;
«I’m off work next week, so I’m going to do my gardening,» I said.
«Didn’t you just have a week off?» he replied.
«Yes, Dad, I just had a week off, and I plan on having many more,» I said sarcastically.
«I live a life of luxury, I see…» he said, sounding rather condescending.
«Sure I do, why don’t you?» I responded defiantly.
In my father’s opinion, he thought, if you just took time off, what makes you need more time off?
He thinks like most people I know: if you don’t work, if you hold down a job, you’re letting others down.
He grew up in an era where you dropped out of school, got a job, and worked at it for 40 years until you retired.
There were no gap years or early retirements, not even much time off for vacations.
It was a work, work, work mentality, because that’s what you do. No questioning the norm, just strict adherence to the rules.
In that brief conversation over lunch, I questioned that assumption.
I questioned the need to work so hard that all your time is spent working, and that contribution can only be measured by hours worked.
Peer Perceptions
Throughout my career, I’ve had this kind of conversation numerous times. I tell my coworkers I’m taking a week off, and the conversation goes something like this…
«I’m not working next week, we’re doing a shift,» I say.
«Not again? You just had a week off,» my coworker replies. Here we go again, I think.
«I know, well, I’m taking another week off,» I say, sick of having the same damn conversation over and over again. What’s so bad about having time off?
«Cool. Are you going somewhere nice?» they ask curiously.
«Going somewhere nice?» As if you have to physically travel to justify a week off. Work is your life now, in case you haven’t noticed. School’s out and you’re not even 65 yet, so you better work nonstop or you’re a failure. It’s like you have a good excuse for not being here next week.
A valid reason
If I decide to take a week off work, it has to be for a valid reason, something more important than being at work. It’s not like you can do anything else in life.
You’re just a cog in this machine, a contributor to society, a source of income for this company…
Okay, calm down, Ash, they’re just chatting, I think…
«No, I’m just going to do some things around the house, a bit of gardening and all that,» I say with a wry smile.
«Oh, okay, a staycation, then enjoy it,» they say condescendingly, as if to say, «Poor you, you can’t afford a proper vacation.»
You can tell the judgment is genuine. As if to say, «Here I am, working like a log, and you’re taking weeks off, enjoying life; it’s a slap in the face.»
Of course, no one actually says it, but there’s an underlying tone: it seems weird not to work unless you have a good reason.
There is a widespread belief that it is necessary to work consistently throughout one’s life; otherwise, one is not a valid member of society.
Society instills this.
In today’s demanding work culture, it’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind, pushing ourselves to the limit in the pursuit of success.
In the hustle and bustle, we forget the importance of taking time off. Whether it’s a short break, a mental health day, or a well-deserved sabbatical, the benefits of stepping away from work are numerous and profound.
Society teaches us from a young age that our role in life is to study, get a job, and work until retirement.
It is widely accepted that getting a job is the key to life, and that it lasts for forty years or more. The reward for this is a good retirement in one’s mid- to late 60s, a just reward for a lifetime of contribution.
Taking time off is unconventional, as if you don’t have a job, as if you are a blight on society. A plague that is dragging us down.
The media mocks the unemployed, portraying them as a scourge. Politicians constantly try to create more jobs to increase their tax revenue.
Our family, friends, and neighbors judge each other based on the jobs we have.
We find it simply inconceivable that anyone can’t work.
Your life should be a life of service, and the way to provide that service is by getting a job and working hard.
Taking time off is necessary. It’s a superpower with immense benefits. Here’s why:
Stress Reduction and Improved Mental Health
Constantly working without adequate breaks can lead to burnout, stress, and anxiety. Taking time off from work offers an opportunity to decompress, relax, and engage in activities that bring joy and fulfillment.
Whether it’s spending quality time with loved ones, enjoying hobbies, or simply relaxing, these moments of respite can significantly reduce stress levels and contribute to better mental health.
Greater Physical Well-Being
Long hours at a desk and constant work-related stress can take a toll on our physical health.
Free time allows us to prioritize self-care, giving our bodies a chance to rest and recover.
Engaging in physical activity, getting enough sleep, and focusing on nutritious meals during these breaks can improve physical well-being and strengthen the immune system.
Strengthened Relationships
In the pursuit of professional goals, we can unintentionally neglect our relationships with family and friends.
Taking time off provides an opportunity to reconnect with loved ones and strengthen bonds.
Sharing experiences and spending quality time together can create lasting memories and a support network that can positively impact both personal and professional lives.
Greater Job Satisfaction and Employee Retention
Employers who encourage and support their employees’ time off see an increase in job satisfaction and employee retention.
Knowing they can take a break when they need it fosters trust and loyalty to the organization.
Employees are more likely to remain committed and engaged when they feel valued and supported in their work-life balance.
A New Perspective
Time off allows us to disconnect from the daily grind and introspect.
It is an opportunity to reevaluate our goals, aspirations, and life decisions.
Reflecting during these breaks can lead to personal growth, greater self-awareness, and a clearer sense of purpose, both in our personal and professional lives.
In Conclusion
There is a famous anecdote attributed to John Lennon that goes…
When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I was in school, I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the task, and I told them they didn’t understand life.
In a society that glorifies constant busyness, taking time off from work can sometimes seem contradictory. But the benefits of regular breaks are undeniable.
Taking a break leads to a more fulfilling and successful life. As individuals and organizations, it is essential to recognize and embrace the power of free time, allowing ourselves and others the space to recharge, grow, and thrive.
Prioritize self-care, normalize time off from work, and make the most of these opportunities for a healthier, happier, and more balanced life.
Is there such a thing as real free time?
The following post is from the OrgShakers portal.
OrgShakers aren’t just leading professionals in our areas of expertise. We also share a quality that’s increasingly rare in the business consulting world: we get along and enjoy what we do. This creates an informal and inclusive environment where ideas are freely shared, enthusiastically explored, and sometimes robustly challenged. In other words, an environment where we can shake things up a bit!
The author is Brittany Burton, a visionary and strategic thinker known for her ability to generate order from chaos, tackle complex challenges, and create processes that drive growth, expand capacity, and allow us to focus on the bigger picture.
Recently analyzing the reality of unlimited paid time off (PTO), it made me reflect on the concept of «free time» as a whole.
Having real time off would (or should) mean that, during the time an employee chooses to take, their responsibilities would be handled by another staff member. However, the reality is that when people take time off, they find themselves working intensively to complete the work they’ll miss before they leave or rushing to catch up upon their return.
A new study from the Pew Research Center confirms this,
revealing that 48% of American workers have unused vacation days, and 49% cited this as a concern about falling behind on work.
Another survey revealed that 40% of men and 46% of women said that just thinking about the «mountain of work» they would return to after vacation was one of the main reasons they hadn’t used their vacation days.
What we’re seeing is that paid vacation is being translated into «days someone spends away from the office,» when it should be «time someone spends away.»
The goal of PTO is to be paid for a day’s work, but if employees perform the work they would have missed before and after their PTO, the purpose is defeated. It’s not about time off, but rather a schedule change.
Having time off from work is vital for employee well-being and ensuring that the quality of their performance remains strong for the organization.
Research shows that nearly three-quarters of people who take PTO from work report better emotional and physical health, happier relationships, and increased productivity.
So, how can employers create a PTO culture that allows people to take time off and return with ease?
Collaborate from the Start: Ensure Employees Aren’t the Only Ones on Projects
A good way to understand this is to look at theater: each cast member will always have a backup who knows how to fill their role if necessary.
This same logic should be applied in the workplace, as it allows for development and mentoring opportunities for younger staff and alleviates stress for the person taking time off.
Establish Communication Boundaries: When someone takes time off, boundaries need to be set so that the employee doesn’t have to constantly check their phone in case a work emergency arises.
This can be achieved from an IT perspective by setting up the system so that all work-related communications are blocked during that time off and instead are redirected to the person overseeing the employee’s work during their absence.
Debriefing Upon Return: When an employee returns to work, they should receive a brief and concise report from the person who has overseen their responsibilities to keep them informed of the progress of their projects.
Avoid Returning Fear
This avoids the fear of returning to a mountain of work and means the employee has had the opportunity to unwind, de-stress, and fully enjoy their time off.
For smaller companies, it can be more difficult to have staff who can take on someone else’s responsibilities. Therefore, it’s very important in this case, as an employer, to ensure you recognize and reward your staff for taking the time to prepare their work in advance of their vacation.
And while larger companies may have more staff, this doesn’t hide the fact that they tend to have a more competitive culture, so staff can sometimes be territorial about their work and not want anyone to take credit.
However, it’s not all down to employers. Employees should try to plan their time off as far in advance as possible to make this transition as smooth for the company as it is for them.
Support for Employees
Managing Workplace Stress
The following contribution is from the Acas portal.
We are Acas, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.
We work with millions of employers and employees each year to improve workplace relationships. We are an independent, public body funded by the government.
Causes and Signs of Stress
Risk Assessments
Support for Employees
Let It Go If You’re Experiencing Stress
Stress Prevention
It’s important to talk about stress and create an open and honest work environment. This can help employees express how they feel and get the support they need.
Talking About Workplace Stress
Managers should be understanding and supportive when talking to employees about work-related stress.
When a manager detects that someone is experiencing stress, they should arrange an informal conversation privately.
They should:
– Set aside time for the meeting during the workday
– Be sensitive to how the person may be feeling
– Ask open-ended questions
– Listen to what they are saying
– Try to identify the cause of the stress
– Work together on possible solutions
Managers should support employees, directing them to specialized help, internal or external, if needed.
If someone doesn’t feel comfortable talking to their manager, they could talk to someone else. For example:
– Another line manager
– Someone they work with
If available, they could talk to:
– A union representative, if they are a union member
– A mental health advocate
– An employee support network
Be clear about confidentiality
The employer should assure the employee that they will not share anything they tell them with anyone.
But if there is a good reason to do so, they should be clear with whom they will share it and why.
For example, the line manager might need to:
Inform HR if it involves time off work.
Get specialized help if worker safety is at risk.
Develop an action plan.
When an employee experiences work-related stress, they should agree with their employer on what they can do to reduce it. One way to do this is to establish an action plan.
This should include:
– What the problem is.
– The proposed solution.
– What actions to take to achieve the solution.
– The deadlines for achieving each action.
– A date to review the plan and check if it has met its objective.
– Use a Mind Wellbeing Action Plan.
Making adjustments at work
If an employee has a disability, their employer must make reasonable adjustments.
If an employee experiences work-related stress but does not have a disability, the employer must discuss adjustments that might be helpful.
Often, simply agreeing to simple changes in working conditions or responsibilities is sufficient.
This could include:
– Flexible hours
– Allowing more breaks
– Assigning different responsibilities to each employee
– Helping them prioritize their workload
– Offering training or mentoring
When making adjustments, managers should:
– Review them regularly to check their effectiveness
– Consider how to support the rest of the team to avoid overloading them
Protecting Employees from Discrimination
Stress in itself is not classified as a medical condition. However, stress can affect someone with a physical or mental disability. They would be protected from discrimination.
For example, Sam has been diagnosed with anxiety. Work-related stress is making his anxiety worse. Sam should not be discriminated against because of his anxiety.
By law (Equality Act 2010), a person is disabled if both conditions are met:
They have a physical or mental disability.
The disability has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to perform normal day-to-day activities.
Substantial means it is more than mild or trivial, and long-term means it has lasted or is likely to last 12 months or more.
If an employee has a disability, their employer must not discriminate against them on the basis of their disability.
A disciplinary or grievance procedure can be very stressful. The employer must balance well-being with the need not to delay the procedure unnecessarily.
An employer should always follow:
Its own policy, if it has one
The Acas Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures
The Acas Code applies to anyone with legal employee status. However, employers are advised to follow it for all employees.
Employers should consider how to provide support to avoid causing further stress. For example, allowing the person to be accompanied when they do not have a legal right to be.
The employer must make reasonable adjustments if the employee has a disability.
If an employee cannot attend a meeting
If an employee does not feel able to attend a meeting due to work-related stress, the employer should consider rearranging the meeting. In some cases, with the employee’s consent, it may be appropriate to obtain professional medical advice on how to carry out the procedure fairly.
If an employer believes they cannot delay the procedure or wishes to proceed without the employee, they should contact the Acas helpline.
Take the time you need, take the time you deserve
The following contribution is from the University of Arizona website and is written by Eileen Lawless, MS, MSW. Dependent Care Specialist.
As a dependent care specialist, Eileen Lawless provides support and resources to caregivers of adults from age 18 through end-of-life.
She holds a master’s degree in social work from the Hunter College School of Social Work and a Graduate Certificate in Innovations in Aging from the University of Arizona. She has over 20 years of experience working in hospice, skilled nursing, and assisted living communities, specializing in program development, memory and behavioral care support, and quality training and care for personal and professional caregivers.
Eileen is proud to work with the Work-Life Connections team to enhance the work-life integration of caregivers within the University of Arizona community.
ake some time to refresh, relax, and reset the text on wooden blocks with a nature and park background. Regardless of how we define it, work-life balance is equally important for everyone.
Family caregiving poses significant challenges, often involving a delicate balance between work and personal responsibilities.
Effective time management becomes crucial as caregivers juggle appointments, daily caregiving tasks, and work commitments.
While American workers say paid time off is critical, only 48% of American workers use all their vacation days.
It’s critical to recognize that some of us may not be taking the time off we’re entitled to or deserve.
73% of employees provide some form of caregiving. 67% of family caregivers (caregiving for elders, children, community families, siblings, and spouses/partners) struggle to balance their work and caregiving responsibilities.
According to the Pew Research Center, 46% of American workers who are eligible for time off take less than what is offered to them.
About half of employees with a bachelor’s degree or higher say they take less time off than what is offered.
Those who don’t take time off include salaried workers, managers, and those in education, government, civil service, and the military. (Pew Research Center)
Time Off: What’s Happening?
Time away from work allows us to address or reduce stress, but anxiety, fear, or guilt can delay or prevent the breaks we need.
Some workers feel that by taking time off, they may be neglecting their work responsibilities.
Others feel they don’t need to take time off, are worried about falling behind, or are concerned about the impact time off has on their coworkers.
Women (especially those between 18 and 49) may worry about their coworkers having to catch up on their work.
Black workers, along with new hires, may cite fear of job loss.
Fifty percent of new parents spent fewer days off work for fear of the perceived stigma of taking time off.
Even more, they worry about being stigmatized and subject to hostile attitudes, prejudices, or misconceptions from their supervisors or colleagues.
Worrying about Being Judged
In a One Poll study, 62% of employees are worried that their bosses will judge them and think they’re not capable of performing their jobs for taking time off for mental health reasons.
Employees are twice as likely to take time off for a physical condition than for a mental health condition. An Aetna study indicated that 50% of employees who need time off for mental health reasons lie about the reason for their request.
Requesting time off for medical appointments or mental health care can generate fears of being perceived as «slacking» or being passed over for a promotion.
Time Off: Why Do We Need It?
Just like the diversity of our community, so are the reasons we need time off.
We can use time off for self-care or for major life events.
Others may need to address mental health or caregiving, illnesses (their own or others’), emergencies, and other unexpected life events. Essential time off can include focusing on long-term care, caregiving, emergencies, or backup plans.
Life happens, and we use this time to address these planned or unexpected events. If we have time, we may need to adapt our time in more nontraditional ways.
For example, if the time off is for caring for others, taking additional time for oneself (even if it’s just for a few hours, a day, or more) can be critical for self-care.
Time off can take different forms. For some, time off can be immediate: a few hours, a day, or several.
Others may need a longer period, such as a vacation or leave of absence, which could require time in the near future. Plans can range from enjoying life and doing what we want to working with a chronic illness or mental health. You should base your time off on what’s happening in your personal and professional life now or what, realistically, might happen in the future.
The need for time off may be obvious to some, but not to others.
Signs of the need to take time off include stress levels, burnout, or compassion fatigue.
We often see these in caregiving, but burnout at work is very real.
Be alert to changes or problems with mental or physical health, mood, energy levels, concentration, work performance, or sleep. Take the time you need if your caregiving situation has worsened or changed, or if you need to create an overall caregiving plan.
As mentioned, there are reasons why we don’t take time off.
However, if you feel like taking time off requires too much preparation or causes you anxiety, it’s probably time to plan some time off. T
he value of taking time off is well worth the cost to well-being.
The Real Benefits of Taking Time Off
Time off benefits both employees and the workplace. Workplace stress can affect our concentration and impair our ability to solve problems.
Breaks, whether short or long, are vital for long-term health and well-being, allowing employees to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, improve productivity, and increase personal satisfaction.
Time off can:
– boost productivity and work performance;
– help employees feel more productive, creative, and relaxed;
– reduce burnout and improve mood;
– improve mental health.
Time off allows for rest and a better cognitive space. When we can take time for ourselves, we can eliminate external noise and focus on what’s essential for our well-being.
Go ahead!
Talk to your family, friends, and yourself about work, life, and well-being. When we have conversations at work about stigma, perception, job performance, and our contributions, we release the fear of the unknown and gain clarity and understanding.
Recognize the value of your work and your life, assess your stress level, and address it accordingly. Honor your self-worth by respecting the need to take time away from work to relax and de-stress.
If this doesn’t come naturally to you, perhaps it’s time to talk with your family, a support group, or therapy and find ways to take time off. Taking time to assess what’s happening and identifying self-care steps can be the key to greater well-being. Taking time off is a valuable part of this equation.
No matter what’s going on in our lives, we need to see the value of time off: for self-care and work-life balance. The essential component is taking time off, not hoarding it. Use your time to maximize your self-care so you can live your life.
How to Tell Your Boss You’re Burned Out
The following contribution is from the Harvard Business Review and is written by Ron Carucci, co-founder and managing partner of Navalnt, who works with CEOs and executives seeking transformative change. He is the author of 10 best-selling books, including «Being Honest: Leading with the Power of Trust, Fairness, and Purpose» (Kogan Page, 2021).
Summary: Nearly half of American workers report feeling burned out due to pandemic-related factors, such as telecommuting and longer hours, fear of unsafe working conditions, and concerns about job security. Many people experiencing this type of burnout report…more
A few weeks ago, while coaching my client’s leadership team’s virtual meeting, I noticed that one of his colleagues, Evan, was unusually quiet and distracted.
The few times he spoke, he was brief and abrupt. His demeanor seemed inconsistent with the typical energy I had previously observed.
I met up with him after the meeting. After offering the usual dismissive responses to my questions about how he was («I’m fine, just a little tired» and «No, really, I’m just distracted today; too many emails»), I shared my concerns about things I’d noticed in him over the past month: low energy, irritability, an unusual pessimism, and finally, he nervously admitted, «I think I’m burned out.»
Evan described many of the classic symptoms of pandemic burnout: feeling overwhelmed, anxious, resentful of his increased workload, exhausted, and hopeless.
When I asked him if he’d told his boss what he was going through, he reacted with profound disbelief.
«Are you crazy? No way I’m telling him this!» He went on to explain his fear of being seen as needy, or worse, of losing his «go-to» status and having his boss rely less on him.
Evan is not alone. The pandemic has subjected many of us to prolonged periods of intense stress.
A recent survey revealed that 41% of workers feel burned out due to factors such as teleworking, longer hours, balancing family demands, the threat to job security, and the fear of unsafe work environments.
This has led to chronic feelings of sadness and anxiety, lack of motivation, and an inability to concentrate.
Most tellingly, 37% of respondents said they have done nothing to address these feelings.
For high performers like Evan, who often thrive under pressure and relish the opportunity to heroically develop a great idea or cheer up their colleagues, burnout can be especially debilitating.
If you’re experiencing the symptoms of burnout, it’s important to take them seriously; don’t assume they’re temporary and will go away with time.
Health experts agree that burnout truly jeopardizes your physical and mental health, and if left untreated, it could have more serious consequences. The good news is that there are many proven strategies to cope with it.
The first thing you need to do is stop denying that it’s a problem.
Your boss is in a unique position to help you, and no matter how uncomfortable you feel given the disproportionate influence they have over your work life, it’s critical that you tell them. Here are some ways to prepare for that conversation.
Confront Your Faulty Narrative of Help
Admitting the need for help is a struggle for many professionals. For especially competent people, accustomed to being asked for help, being on the other side of the equation generates feelings of inadequacy, fear of being perceived as weak or incapable, and concern about being a burden to others.
These fears are intensified when it comes to the risk of your boss thinking this of you.
If you’ve trained your boss to expect titanic miracles from you, trust that you’ve earned enough credibility to ask for help.
They’re more likely to respect your acknowledgment of your limitations rather than belittle you. In Evan’s case, his boss was relieved when he spoke up.
He’d noticed the same symptoms I had, but understandably feared Evan wouldn’t accept his offer of help.
Chances are your boss has already detected that something is wrong. Give him the opportunity to help you, as you have helped him.
Clarify What You’re Experiencing
Make sure your approach sets the stage for a productive conversation.
It may be helpful to start by acknowledging that this is difficult for you: «You know, I wouldn’t bring this up if it didn’t feel important to me,» or «I’m not used to asking for help, so this is difficult for me.» This can help your boss feel more empathetic and therefore more attentive to what you say.
Be Specific About the Symptoms You’re Experiencing
You don’t have to reveal overly personal details, but generalizations like «I’m really stressed» or «I’m fed up with this job» may not help them understand the situation.
Instead, offer specifics like: «I feel overwhelmed by the number of projects I have» or «I feel very anxious about meeting all these deadlines, but they’ve never bothered me before.»
Helping your boss see what’s changed for you is important. You want them to conclude that not only have you changed, but aspects of your work have changed as well.
Take responsibility for your impact on others
Aspects such as the quality or timeliness of your work, your personal or team relationships, or your lackluster behavior have likely been visible indicators of your stress.
Plan to acknowledge this in your conversation with your boss with a phrase like, «Look, I know I haven’t been myself lately, and I’m sorry if that’s had any negative impact on you or the team.»
Be very clear about what you’re taking responsibility for. Don’t apologize for feeling burned out, but do take responsibility for allowing its effects to spill over into your work or team.
Evan’s boss sincerely appreciated your acknowledgment of the few deadlines he’d missed, which made his request more sympathetic.
Start with a colleague or friend. One of the dangerous consequences of the pandemic is the increased isolation we feel from others.
Social isolation intensifies burnout, since, in the absence of sufficient community, most of the conversations we have about how we’re feeling are only in our heads.
Unfortunately, these internal conversations tend to generate unreliable conclusions about ourselves, our boss, our work, and the world around us.
If opening up to your boss seems too risky, start with someone else.
Establish a stable virtual network with friends, close colleagues, or even a coach or therapist. Having trusted people with whom you can gauge your feelings, and even rehearse this conversation, can significantly shift your perspective.
Evan and I were able to define clear points he would address and practice some of them in advance.
Appeal, don’t complain. Preparing the conversation can ensure it doesn’t come across as venting, or worse, blaming. For a boss without natural empathy, saying «I’m burned out» can unintentionally sound like «you’re burning me out.»
To avoid any hint of blame, speak when you’re not feeling burned out or fed up.
While those emotions may motivate you to finally talk to your boss, they won’t help you while you’re actually having the conversation.
For example, if your boss has been asking you for more work than usual, they may already be feeling guilty or defensive, and your heightened emotions will only exacerbate those feelings.
Make it clear that you’re asking for help and that you want to be part of the solution. For many, the pandemic has blurred the natural boundaries between work, social and family life, and self-care, making it seem impossible to properly care for them.
That means we need to set clearer boundaries between where work ends and where it begins.
If you need time off, more flexible work hours, or additional resources to meet increased demands, be specific and kind when requesting them.
Pushing too hard can feel entitled and give the impression that you’re running out of energy and owe me.
Take Time to Reflect
One of the dangerous aspects of burnout is the insidious way it distorts perspectives.
You need time to separate fact from fiction while you reflect.
For some, the pandemic has caused burnout, while for others, it has revealed a burnout that already existed.
Perhaps you stopped loving your job months or even years ago, but these extreme conditions were necessary for you to truly feel it.
If you can take some time off, a little distance from your work can help you determine whether your feelings are circumstantial and can be improved with better self-care routines, or if they are telling you it’s time to consider the next chapter in your career.
Don’t be complacent. The relief you may feel from talking to your boss can provide a momentary boost of energy.
During your time off, you may start sleeping better and exercising more, and you might even feel like you’re regaining a more optimistic outlook.
These early signs may tempt you to declare victory prematurely and begin to blur the healthy boundaries you’ve established, responding to a few unnecessary emails or «keeping up» with projects your boss temporarily delegated to others.
But remember, self-care is a long-term process, and you must persevere. Consider these early positive signs as evidence that the plan is working, not that you’ve completed it.
Unfortunately, not every boss will approach this conversation as gently as you’d like—they may be as overwhelmed as you are—but most bosses want to be helpful.
Instead of continuing to simmer in unhealthy conditions, for the sake of your mental and physical well-being, consider giving yours a chance to help.
Jobs and the Future of Work
7 Signs Your Boss Wants You Out
The following contribution is from the World Economic Forum’s website about a report, «Jobs and the Future of Work,» and author Liz Ryan.
What is the World Economic Forum doing to drive action on Jobs and the Future of Work?
Overview
Explore and monitor how the Future of Work is affecting economies, industries, and global issues.
Stay up to date:
Future of Work
When you work for someone who feels threatened by your ideas, you’ll know it. Your boss will send you signals that your energy, intellect, and creativity are not welcome.
At first, the signals will be small. Your boss is trying to smother your growing flame before it grows.
If you don’t get the message—»Shut up and do as I say, and nothing else!»—the messages will be louder. You may have been the star employee in the department, but now you’re persona non grata.
If your boss is truly afraid of you, you might even be forced to take some kind of disciplinary action—a pathetic attempt to extinguish your flame.
Your boss might be so afraid that he or she belittles you, oppresses you, or tries to fire you. Why would he or she do that?
It happens daily, perhaps because the organization’s higher-ups are noticing you or because you’re becoming too popular with your company’s clients.
Fearful managers don’t encourage their employees; they demean them.
Only docile and obedient sheep are welcome in fear-filled environments.
If you’re too expressive, too intelligent, too creative, or simply too much like yourself instead of the corporate or institutional drone your boss wants you to be, watch out!
Here are seven signs your boss wants you gone.
When you notice these signs around you, don’t get discouraged or angry. That would be a waste of your valuable influence! The greater your passion, the more likely you are to face these fear reactions. Don’t worry!
There are much larger environments to play in than any you work in now.
The universe will tell you when it’s time to find a bigger one, and while change may be difficult, you’ll be much happier when you complete your reinvention!
Withdrawing Benefits
One of the first signs that you’ve triggered a fear reaction in your boss will be the withdrawal of benefits and perks. Our client, Daniel, had the nerve to win two awards from his division president and soon after saw his boss strip him of his business-class travel privileges and airport club membership.
«You don’t travel enough to justify those expenses,» his boss said, against all reason. His boss was more than just annoyed. He feared that Daniel’s reputation as a rising star threatened his own power. He wanted to send Dan a strong message: «Step back and stop making a name for yourself here, or things will get worse.»
The poor, fearful boss tried to use his insignificant power to destabilize Daniel. It didn’t work.
Daniel started looking for a new job and ended up in another division of his company, working as a colleague for his former boss.
Keeping You in the Dark
Before, your boss told you everything, but now you’re completely in the dark. You don’t know the department’s plan. You don’t have a roadmap for your own position. What does this mean?
It means your boss is trying to keep you in line. That’s not good for your emotional well-being or your career. You need a clear vision of the future in any job, and you deserve it.
Reassigning Your Key Projects
Our client, Leah, was feeling insecure about her relationship with her boss, the CFO of a brokerage firm. «I told my boss I could help him a lot more than I’m doing now,» Leah told us. My boss didn’t respond. What could I say? He’s hated my guts ever since I presented to the board and received good feedback. It was the final straw.
Leah’s boss sent her an email saying, «I asked Paul to handle the investor relations summit.»
Organizing that summit had been Leah’s most important project. It was the reason she accepted the position.
The CFO’s one-sentence email said it all. Leah began her quiet job search that same week and had two interviews in one month.
«I can do a lot of things, but I can’t work for someone who works against me,» she told us. She didn’t need to do that for long. Neither do you!
Ignoring You
Most employees looking for a human-centered position don’t ask much of a boss. They just want to work for someone smart, ethical, and honest. Some bosses can rise to the occasion, and others can’t. Bogdan’s manager, Lenny, hired Bogdan with high expectations for his collaboration. «You’re going to be my number two,» he told him.
Bogdan made several smart operational suggestions during his first month on the job, and instead of being pleased, Lenny felt discouraged.
«Let it be clear that I’m the manager and you’re the assistant manager,» he said. Gradually, he stopped meeting with Bogdan. He stopped responding to emails.
«I tried for 15 months to appease and please my boss,» Bogdan said, «before I threw in the towel.»
Finally, he turned to Lenny and asked, «Is this a mismatch? Should I start looking for a job?» That was too direct for Lenny, who nearly choked and couldn’t speak. Later, Lenny emailed Bogdan and said, «Yes, that’s a good plan.»
Annoying You to Death
A sure sign that your passion is burning out your manager is when you can’t seem to do anything right. Your boss starts criticizing everything you do. At first, you’ll feel baffled.
You’ll wonder how you can keep making mistakes when you’re a smart, competent person. You’re worrying about the wrong thing.
The quality and quantity of your work haven’t changed; what’s missing is your boss’s support. Fear is an issue we never deal with at work, even though it’s constantly around us. When your boss stops supporting you and decides you’re an invasive species in their pond, nothing you do will be enough.
Criticizing You in Public
When a boss gets too nervous, they start throwing barbs at you. Don’t be surprised if your coworkers say, «Wow, your boss said some really harsh things about you in the meeting just now.»
The limbic nerve controls the fight-or-flight response we feel when we panic. When your boss has so little power that the mere presence of a popular or high-performing team member feels like a threat, they’ll surface.
When your competence and confidence send your boss into a panic, prepare for anger to rain down.
Reorganizing Yourself
Organizational charts are almost infinitely malleable. If your boss hates you enough, they can reorganize you immediately.
Once you realize that you’ve made your boss anxious to the point of such extreme behaviors simply by being yourself, you’ll stop feeling bad about the situation.
You’ll stop blaming yourself for being smart and capable. You’ll see that it’s your fearful boss who has a problem, not you.
You’ll realize it’s your personal power that has scared your boss. Maybe you’ll have to change jobs. Don’t worry! You weren’t going to retire anyway.
It’s disconcerting to receive signals that your employer can’t handle your pressure anymore, but it also empowers you. There’s nothing negative about it, and most Human Workplace employees have experienced it at some point.
Wait until you see how your power grows when you step out of your shell and breathe fresh air!