Quiet vacationing is the latest workplace buzzword dominating headlines and a sobering reality is getting lost in the mix: employees are overworked. Behind workplace trends like quiet quitting, quiet vacationing and great exhaustion, there's a collective undertone looking for relief from relentless work.
Karyn Rhodes, VP of HR Services at isolved, argues "quiet vacationing" is a temporary solution for employees to find an appropriate work-life balance on their own. She believes employers shouldn't lose sight of the underlying truth behind these buzzwords and instead confront the epidemic of overwork in our workplace.
Can you explain the concept of "quiet vacationing"? What factors have driven employees to covertly take vacation days instead of openly taking their PTO?
"Quiet vacationing" is a new trend where employees take work-life balance into their own hands by incorporating downtime breaks into their schedules without officially informing their managers or submitting PTO requests. It can be moving their mouse every few minutes to keep their status "green" and indicate that they're online, or employees can even work from a hotel room or cafe in a completely different country.
This new workplace buzzword has grown in popularity because employees are overwhelmed by workplace responsibilities now more than ever. In fact, 66% of employees say the work backlog is enough to dissuade them from taking a vacation, almost half (50%) say they feel guilty when on PTO, and when they do finally pull themselves away, they often feel compelled to remain available. To avoid these feelings, employees have taken to "quiet vacationing," but it's a temporary solution that can further exacerbate feelings of burnout.
What are the similarities and differences between workplace trends like "quiet quitting", "quiet vacationing" and "the great exhaustion"? How do they impact employee morale and productivity?
The emergence of workplace trends such as "quiet quitting," "quiet vacationing," and "the great exhaustion" reveals a fundamental issue within organizations related to the employee experience. These trends are often rooted in feelings of burnout, which affected 65% of employees in 2023. When employees lack support from their organizations to maintain a positive work-life balance or flexibility within their roles, they often take matters into their own hands, and they'll play "mouse hooky" or disengage completely. Employees who feel disconnected from their work and their companies can't make meaningful contributions and are merely running on autopilot or in survival mode, focusing solely on getting through the workday.
If HR teams and leadership do not intervene with strategies to address the root causes of these trends—beyond just aiming to regain productivity for revenue's sake—employee morale will continue to plummet.
How can HR leaders encourage employees to fully utilize their PTO without feeling the pressure to remain available?
Company culture is defined by the way it's reinforced. When HR leaders say they prioritize work-life balance and employee wellbeing, they should champion individuals who take PTO and recharge. It's critical for HR leaders to be wary of the message they send to workers when they celebrate employees who are always available and working late, even while on PTO. HR teams can also keep a close eye on PTO usage through HCM systems, identify when PTO utilization is relatively low and encourage employees to take time away from work. One of the best ways to reinforce work-life balance and disconnect during PTO is by encouraging leadership teams to lead by example. By normalizing an unplugged time off from managers, employees are more likely to feel comfortable doing the same. HR teams and business leaders play a crucial role in fostering a culture with a sustainable work-life balance that ensures employees can fully disconnect without fearing negative consequences.
What are some fundamental strategies HR leaders can take to combat burnout in their workplace and foster a culture that prioritizes employee wellbeing?
While employee burnout rates have decreased year over year, data shows it still impacts nearly two-thirds of the workforce and 72% of employees say it affects their performance. While there's no one-size-fits-all solution to combat burnout, employers should focus on creating a better employee experience that has an overall positive impact on their workforce. Employee listening is critical to better understand how to serve employee needs unique to your workforce. Reports show flexible work environments, self-service tools, self-help resources and policies for communicating outside of working hours are some of the top ways employers can address burnout.
Organizations can leverage pulse surveys to identify the top employees' stressors and gain a better idea of employee needs, while also investing in mental health resources like counseling services or EAPs. HR teams must also work with middle managers to ensure employee workloads are manageable while maintaining realistic expectations and a transparent culture where employees feel comfortable speaking up. Organizations should lean on employee listening strategies to determine how to best address burnout in their workplace and invest in resources that meet those needs.
How can organizations strike a balance between the demands of business operations with the need for employees to unplug and recharge?
Finding a balance between business needs and encouraging work-life balance requires thoughtful strategies and policies. Trends like quiet vacationing where employees feel the need to lie to recharge are a strong reminder that prioritizing mental health and wellbeing in the workplace is just as important as meeting KPIs and deadlines. I was recently talking about quiet vacationing with one of our customers, who said she didn't begin using her PTO benefits in her previous roles until 2020 because they weren't effectively communicated. It's crucial for employers to focus on initiatives that enhance employee wellbeing because engaged employees can be up to 18% more productive.
Organizations can promote a culture of wellbeing by implementing clear policies that support work-life balance, like defined work hours and PTO guidelines. This culture should be reinforced with initiatives like recognition and rewards that celebrate employees' efforts, wellness programs and open-door policies that create a transparent culture.
© Touchpoint Markets, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.