Every year, two out of three Americans take a vacation, but most feel like they still have to answer work emails or phone calls while they're out of the office. This vacation-work culture is unhealthy and unsustainable and I believe it's the responsibility of today's business leaders to fix it. Managers should set a good example and actively take steps to address the problem.

Why does this vacation-work culture persist? Because the majority of working Americans believe being unavailable on vacation could negatively affect their career. In fact, nearly 80 percent of workers think that working more hours is the key to being promoted. Two in three fear they will look replaceable if they take time off. Taken together, these concerns have produced a deeply unhealthy work culture.

Good managers understand vacations are well-deserved breaks, not a sign that an employee is not a hard worker. We need to rethink how and how much we work throughout the year. But where to start?

Shifting the work culture in the office to better appreciate the value of taking PTO and establishing work-life balance can take time, and it needs to begin at the top of the organization. Why? A quarter of those surveyed by Harris Poll said they were contacted by their boss while on vacation. Managers need to set clear boundaries and expectations of their employees so no one feels like their career success is contingent on them working while on vacation or late every night.

I'm trying to do my part with my own team. For example, when a top-performing employee was preparing for a long overdue vacation, I let him know that if he was going to have any issue disconnecting from work, I would block his email access to force him to disconnect.

The expectation of a constant connection to work exacerbates stress and negatively affects the mental health of employees. With the amount that many Americans work, burnout is inevitable. According to a recent Gallup survey, three in four employees have experienced burnout at work. When employees are overworked, the consequences can be dire—company culture, the quality of work, and employee morale can all collapse. This can quickly spiral into a broader HR problem, with unhappy employees quitting.

Fortunately, the consequences of burnout aren't permanent. Completely unplugging from work can reduce feelings of anxiety, stress, and depression. If business leaders want to avoid the pitfalls of burnout, they should proactively establish a culture where vacation time is respected and protected. There are three simple steps business owners and managers can take:

Encourage your employees to truly disconnect; make sure they know they should not respond to emails unless its an emergency.
Institute blackout hours on weekends and overnight; consistent work-life boundaries even during regular work weeks can help employees feel more comfortable going offline while on vacation.
Lead by example; if employees see leadership at their company making work-life-balance a priority, they're more likely to follow suit themselves.

These steps may seem small, but they can go a long way toward addressing a serious problem. And for those who are concerned that employees being unavailable will hurt the bottom line, don't worry. In my experience, employees and customers alike react well to these boundaries. Responding to emails at midnight on a Friday or on your vacation is rarely their expectation. Don't let it become a habit.

These steps may seem small, but they address a serious problem. If you don't cultivate a responsible culture of disconnecting, you put yourself at serious risk of your high-performers deserting you.

Most employees want to work for a company that cares about their well-being and mental health. If they believe you don't, they will eventually go looking for a company that does.

Brett Derricott is CEO of Built for Teams, which provides HR solutions for small- to mid-sized businesses.

Read more:

Instant Insights /

Should you check your email on a vacation?

More From HR Executive

Related Stories

Recommended For You