Sun, sea and senior management: Making holidays for everyone

The thing is, it’s all too often that staff – especially more junior members – don’t book time off; worried they’ll be looked down on if they do. This kind of thing is not just bad for the team, but the overall culture of the business. 

So how do you stop it from happening? Well to begin with you need to know what you’re dealing with. This form of presenteeism could be the result of numerous things. Maybe junior members feel holidays are only reserved for senior staff, maybe they worry they’ll fall behind if they take time off or maybe they feel they just have ‘too much work to do’. 

If it isn’t sorted, staff burnout is incredibly damaging. Add to the negative impression it will give your business and it’s something that needs to be fixed. It all goes back to communication. Managers need to recognise when junior members are reluctant to take leave and chat through the reasons behind this. 

For some it’s down to their personal workload and this is where a strong team dynamic is needed. Reinforcing the idea that people are not alone, that workloads can be shared or managed, will help those staff feel able to take time off and recharge. Getting your people playing as a team will reassure them that work will be managed while they’re away. 

If it's more a feeling of being judged for taking time off or that holidays are only for senior management, the company culture may need an overhaul. Engaging with your staff and having senior members encourage junior employees to book days off can put an end to this mindset. 

If you’re still unsure, an employee engagement survey or external support can help bring a fresh perspective into the business and give you a clear understanding of what’s causing this issue. 

Holidays are an important part of keeping staff motivated. Making sure that everyone – at any level – can take time off will keep your people happy as well as reinforcing a positive team dynamic when it comes to managing workloads. So, as we get into the sunny months, make sure your everyone in your team is taking a much needed break. 

Want more support with holiday management? Get in touch and we can help!

“Maybe junior members feel holidays are only reserved for senior staff, maybe they worry they’ll fall behind if they take time off”

“If you’re still unsure, an employee engagement survey or external support can help bring a fresh perspective into the business and give you a clear understanding of what’s causing this issue. ”