To recap, here's how to ask for time off: Tip#1: Send a vacation request email weeks in advance. Dear Valued Customer, We are beyond grateful for your continued support and loyalty to our brand and services. The center, which provides counseling services to women with unplanned pregnancies, depends on volunteers to help carry out its mission. temp_style.textContent = '.ms-rtestate-field > p:first-child.is-empty.d-none, .ms-rtestate-field > .fltter .is-empty.d-none, .ZWSC-cleaned.is-empty.d-none {display:block !important;}'; temp_style.textContent = '.ms-rtestate-field > p:first-child.is-empty.d-none, .ms-rtestate-field > .fltter .is-empty.d-none, .ZWSC-cleaned.is-empty.d-none {display:block !important;}'; Take a moment to think about what makes your employees happyit could be anything from playing with their dog or cat, reading a book, watching their favorite movie, or listening to music. Moreover, vacations can also help employees stay healthy by encouraging them to exercise and eat better habits. Ask team members where they can share responsibilities and cover for each other so they can rotate times off without stopping work. This can help managers optimize workload delegation. Though annual leave is part of the compulsory benefits of a regular employee, it is always a good gesture when you planned it ahead of time and inform you immediate superior about it.These are the things that you need to consider before writing the letter: 1. "It's not necessarily time off, but we encourage our people on no-meeting days to do that extra load of laundry or have . Here are some ways you can encourage employees to step away from their devices: Sometimes employees hesitate to take time off because they feel they will be distracted from getting all work-related emails and then having to reply to them instantly. As health officials urge everyone to stay close to home and limit contact with people outside their households during the winter holidays to stop the spread of the coronavirus, many workers are reluctant to use their PTOeven after they postponed summer vacation plans. In, Template: PTO Communication to Remind Employees to Use Time Off Hours, more productive and exhibit lower stress and better mental health, There's more to PTO than making adjustments at the end of the year. Download Template : (pdf, docs, ODT, RTF, txt, HTML, Epub, Etc), Subject: Letter to Encourage Employees to Take Vacations. 1) all the projects you recently finished or are currently working on. Some employees might not even realize how much PTO they have accrued this year, so it's important for managers to let staff know how many PTO hours they have, especially if company policy limits the number of hours that can be rolled over to the next year. Not to mention that according to SHRM, when employees take PTO, they're often more productive and exhibit lower stress and better mental health. Please log in as a SHRM member before saving bookmarks. Thank you for going the extra mile. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concernsI look forward to hearing from you soon!. Build specialized knowledge and expand your influence by earning a SHRM Specialty Credential. else if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-mena.aspx") > -1) { We strongly recommend taking vacation time during this pandemic. Please enable scripts and reload this page. On A Mission to Help Small Businesses to Be a Brand. HBR Learnings online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Team Management. We set very clear performance metrics with our employees and allow them flexibility in accomplishing those goals. 5 ways to encourage staff to take annual leave. You also want them to come back feeling refreshed and ready for another round of productivity. What is important is that they spend time with them, because they never know how long they have with their loved ones regardless if there is a pandemic. Address and ease their fears of taking time off. Employees who take regular time off are less stressed, less likely to burn out, and better equipped to find solutions when problems arise. A specified amount of time off can be allowed that must be taken in minimum increments of, for example, a week. Sample email. "Make it mandatory," says Profico. Encouraging employees getting fresh air and exercise during work hours through outdoor breaks or fitness classes held onsite (many companies offer these types of perks). It's considered best practice for companies to make their PTO policies easily accessible for all employees, ideally in a comprehensive Culture Guide. This letter is to inform you on behalf of the company [mention the name of the company or the organization for which the letter is being written] that I, the [mention designation of the sender] of [mention name of the department], would like to encourage you, as our employee, to take a small leave for some days from your work. 3. Each and every employee of an organization work hard day and night every single day to produce the exact results that the corporation wants and make sure that the reputation of the organization always remains clean and only achievements are what that the organization gets. Drew Gieseke Some organizations, such as the Assure Women's Center in Omaha, Neb., opted to let employees carry over more vacation time. But if youre always putting in extra time because that project needs to be on timeor because theres too much work left over from last weekthen this will send the message that its okay for them not to take any personal days and just keep going without sleep or relaxation. How can you encourage employees to take vacation days? Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor. The best way to encourage employees is by setting an example yourself. "This helps reassure the employee that they can truly take time off to relax with family without feeling guilty or stressing out about checking e-mail and phone messages.". Here are a few sample vacation request emails and a reminder email draft to help you get started: 1. For example, from February to June, employees' risk for developing depressive disorders surged 54 percent while the risk of general anxiety jumped 41 percent, according to Total Brain, a San Francisco-based provider of mental health services. Research shows that, thanks to remote work, we're spending an average. You know who hasnt taken enough time off, and you dont have to trawl through spreadsheets to find out, since its delivered directly to you. Build a better team and achieve more of what matters. 2. The way leaders take a vacation is a signal for employees on vacation expectations. Thats why its a good idea to keep your team updated on how much leave they have and the last time they took a break. "Time off gives you the opportunity to recharge. This works out to a monthly accrual of 1.25 vacation days during the first year and 1.6667 vacation days per month after the first year. Managers need to rise to the occasion by encouraging time off from their employees. var temp_style = document.createElement('style'); Managers are also encouraged to be vocal about taking shorter amounts of time off. This was the concern one of my clients recently. It also shows your employees that you don't need to spend needless extra time in the office to look busy if you're delivering on your goals. Suggest shorter breaks more often, rather than weeklong vacations. When you set these types of expectations, your team plans ahead and you don't have to get in the middle and manage everyone's schedules. Additionally, [company] has the right to identify blackout periods where PTO requests cannot be approved. But, according to Balsamiq founder Giacomo Guilizzoni, "It instills an opposite kind of guilt: If I don't take my 20 days I will set a bad example for my team." Make unlimited vacation time work Taking time off might seem like an unnecessary luxury given that we all have deadlines looming over our heads all day long; however, these breaks allow both employers and employees to get away from our desks so they can relax and come back refreshed when they return. HR leaders should also train managers on vacation policies, and encourage employees to speak to HR if they have concerns about taking time off. On his half day off, one of my clients created a bouquet for his wife from his garden, repaired a bicycle, and read a book that had been sitting on his shelf for a decade. You want your employees to take a break from their work and enjoy the world outside. Sales teams are notorious for not taking PTO; this is in part because of the ongoing nature of the work and in part because taking time off can be expensive if you miss on commission. As of [DD/MM/YY], you have an annual leave balance of [X DAYS/ X HOURS]. "They were very relieved [by the change in policy], and we are trying to reward them as much as possible for their work.". Generally, there's no formal consequences for not using your mandatory vacation time. This power move does two things: One, it communicates that taking a vacation is okay and two, it reinforces that your company prioritizes employee wellness. This person can then quickly approve or decline the request, with a full view of any potential holiday clashes in the app. You can show them that work-life balance is important by: Employees are busy, and it can be easy to forget about the vacation days theyve accrued over the past year. This approach is common for groups with regularly recurring busy periods, like sales teams that are expected to close in Q4. This letter is to inform you from [mention the name of the company or the organization for which the sender is writing this letter] that I, the [mention designation of the sender] of [mention name of the department], would like to encourage you to take a vacation from your work for some days. Hi everyone. (Campaign Monitor,2019) Add an eye-catching subject line and body. If there arent any available at your company yet but would like something similar instead then consider adding an incentive program where each employee receives points based on how many hours they worked each week which can then be redeemed at the end of each month towards goods or services such as gym memberships or other activities outside work hours. You may be setting the bar high with your hard work and dedication, but if you arent taking time off yourself (and showing others how its done), then they wont know how to break away from their official responsibilities. Ease the numbness induced with back-to-back video calls and a long to-do list by reinventing vacations and time off, and encouraging your team to do the same. At this time I am proudly able to announce the reopening of Our Business on June 05, 2020. Please log in as a SHRM member. The reply should explain when the employee will be away and for how long, but also include some language that indicates that the employee is taking a break from work and is not available during this time. That said, human resources personnel should also communicate regular reminders to employees about making the most of their PTO throughout the year. SHRM Employment Law & Compliance Conference, Heres How to Encourage Employees to Take PTO, New OSHA Guidance Clarifies Return-to-Work Expectations, Trump Suspends New H-1B Visas Through 2020, Faking COVID-19 Illness Can Have Serious Consequences, Report: Managers Have Bigger Impact on Employee Mental Health than Therapists, How to Handle Overtime, Meal Break and Other Wage and Hour Crises. In this case, make a simple process for reaching out and interacting with coworkers to find coverage for time off. It doesn't have to be outside their home, where they can get infected, but within the boundaries of their home where they can bond with one another. Please purchase a SHRM membership before saving bookmarks. Model time away, standardize. When employees know that you value their time off and take it seriously, theyll be more likely to see the importance of taking time off themselves. For example, if you are going on vacation next week but want to respond to emails while youre gone, consider using an auto-reply that says something like: I am currently out of the office on vacation until July 1st. use up to four hours of administrative leave time, or your sick time. Your communication needs to include your companys stance on travel, any restrictions back at work if someone does leave town for example, a lab worker who must be on site after vacation and risks to public and personal safety. They can do this through their browser or through our mobile app anytime they want. They can use that time as a mini-weekend getaway with their friends or family. As a human being, you need rest in your life from these long days of work, so by looking into your hard work and integrity towards your job, the company has decided to offer you a special leave for (mention the time) days, and we will be very happy if you accept it. We would be very happy to give some of the savings we achieve in reduced electricity costs back to you. But ideally, no one will ever be on your Burnout Board. You have always been a diligent, hard-working, and loyal team employee (mention the details). Taking time off is important and we want you to be able to use your holiday. Published Tuesday, Jul 7, 2020 Contact Us Human Resources Address: 120 Whittier Hall Box: 149 * Phone: 212-678-3175 * Email: hr@tc.columbia.edu Disability-related Accommodations To request disability-related accommodations contact OASID at oasid@tc.edu, (212) 678-3689, (646) 755-3144 video phone, as early as possible. Providing transparency into where all your projects stand helps put everyone . ", The request for employees to take vacation "was met with unbridled appreciation," he said, adding that "acknowledgment is important to people.". The current crisis is creating more urgency and more work. Employees often postpone PTO because they worry about who will take up the slack while they are out, said LauraHandrick, a contributing HR professional at Choosing Therapy, a Brooklyn-based website that helps educate the public about the benefits of therapy. Next year, youll have [CARRY OVER AMOUNT + NEW YEAR AMOUNT] in holiday leave. You have always been a very loyal, hard-working, and passionate employee of our team (mention the details), and you have worked for a long time without taking any type of leaves. What Is the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). } Sterling R. Morris, Intermountain Healthcare. We know it can be difficult to remember, especially when youre in the middle of a busy day, but taking small breaks throughout the day will actually help keep you and your employees feeling energized, happy and inspired. Restored leave still remaining to the employee's credit at the end of this period will be forfeited without the right to further restoration. The fear of being replaced or overlooked for projects or promotions is a potential factor preventing your employees from taking time off. Consider the following scenarios HR may face during the holiday season: PTO tools with at-a-glance calendars allow for easier staffing decisions, but other employers still may want to audit and update their time off policy to save resources in the long run. We showcase this by offering our employees unlimited PTO. We really want our employees to take their leave its yours to take and we hope you enjoy it. 3) who you are leaving in charge of any project should an emergency or immediate question arise. $('.container-footer').first().hide(); That's why it is so important to lead by example. Here is a template you can use when structuring your email: Subject: [type of leave] request - [your name] Dear [employer's name], I would like to request [number of days or weeks] leave days that start from [date] and end on [date]. Home Letters Templates Encouragement Letters. Others are more likely to follow when company policies express and your behaviors demonstrate what you most value. 2. Overworked employees are unhappy, do not engage and do not contribute to a productive office environment. You can do this by offering the following: When you work for a company, you probably know that taking time off is good for your health and well-being. You can reach me at [alternate contact info]. Format #1. They influence President Biden signed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act into law on December 29, 2022 BerniePortal is the all-in-one HR software solution at a fair price, so HR can focus on providing a good place to work. But companies should encourage their employees to take and enjoy time off in order to promote employee wellness, happiness, and productivity in the workplace. Our unlimited vacation company policy allows employees to take as much leave as they need. Using this circular for declaring holiday format, you can write leave circular for your own company. Taking time off is something many people will avoid when job security is at the forefront of someones mind. Your session has expired. Employees who are able to relax and spend time with their families often report higher job satisfaction than those who dont have this opportunity (and may even want more). What Is a Dependent Care FSA and How Does It Work? I will be traveling to visit my parents/taking family vacation time. Team members of some of my clients try things theyve never done, just to infuse novelty such as sketching or singing. $(document).ready(function () { The next big thing to solve is making sure your team has the tools to book their holiday. How Companies Can Encourage Employees to Use Their Vacation Time. Weve given you three different templates above for informing someone about the leave theyre about to lose. Not to mention that according to SHRM, when employees take PTO, theyre often more productive and exhibit lower stress and better mental health. Everybody needs refreshment in their life from their work, so by looking into your hard work and sincerity towards your work, the company has decided to give you a leave for someday, and we will appreciate if you take it. I am reaching out because the recruitment department needs your help! PTO will be available to exempt and non-exempt employees. - John Lie-Nielsen, One Park Financial 5. Essentially, we reduce the individual reps sales goal for the month by a ratio equivalent to the number of days off. But we know that unplugging from work is important.' Through a combination of this survey data and individual coaching conversations, here are six strategies for managers on how to approach vacations when so much of the workforce is working from home. Sending it in the morning leaves time for your coworkers to get any clarification before you leave. Follow this simple memo to staff on . It does not offer legal advice, and cannot guarantee the accuracy or suitability of its content for a particular purpose. Down time is likely to be devoted to supporting good mental health rather than recreation or travel. They worry that workers' reluctance to take time off is only adding to the anxiety, stress and other mental health problems caused by COVID-19 and the recession. Im writing to remind you that we have an annual leave policy. (Enovapoint, 2021) Using a name rather than a department in the sender line. Unused vacations have cost U.S. businesses $224 billion a year. Template for external staff letter. Once the request is approved, the company Wallchart is updated so everyone can see that new time off has been added to the company calendar. Practice what you preach. I've included a sample email template to send to your team today. Why it's in your interest for staff to take leave. By giving your team the tools they need to see how much leave they have left to use, and book new requests, youre giving them what they need to take their holiday leave throughout the year. Her complaint wasnt about working in quarantine per se, but about her frantic pace and static productivity. When people arent taking their leave, it can be for several reasons, including: Thankfully, there is a better way using a staff leave app that makes it easy for you to see who needs a holiday and makes it easier for them to book it. From dress code to time off, my team follows the tone set by the leader. Please enable scripts and reload this page. "[Time off] is the most emotional benefit we have. the leave type), provide any more details (if necessary), and then submit their request. We think that you truly deserve this paid vacation, and we hope you will consider our effort to appreciate your loyalty to the company and will accept this vacation. According to WorldatWork, about $365B of PTO was accrued in 2019 across all companies and organizations in the US. HR circular format for employees are very helpful in this situation. Review. You should send employees monthly reminders about how much time off they have available for use in the following year. "Then you know what they have planned, and you can encourage them to follow up on it and take the time off.". Learn how SHRM Certification can accelerate your career growth by earning a SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP. Virtual & Washington, DC | February 26-28, 2023. The current crisis is creating more urgency and more work. Then encourage employees to incorporate those activities into their daily routine so they dont forget about them. I'm saving my vacation time until Europe reopens!" My specific plans notwithstanding, my coworker's comments make sense. If they see the boss working nonstop, they. Yet, few employees feel comfortable taking the time off they need, especially as travel plans and other vacations are cancelled. For more info on handling staff leave, check out our articles on: Our customers tell us what makes them tick. "Employees may wonder what to do with a week off all at once, so encourage them to take a long weekend, or even a day in the middle of the busy workweek, for a few weeks in a row to lighten their workload," Winn said. (Campaign Monitor,2019) 3. Lisa Rabasca Roepe is a freelance writer based in Arlington, Va. You have successfully saved this page as a bookmark. Even if your company doesnt offer paid time off, encouraging employees to put down their phones and computers for even just one day a week will be beneficial for their health and productivity. By involving the entire team, you make taking breaks part of the culture along with supporting and being generous with each other. Suddenly, a majority of people within an organization want to take time off. Its not just our commute times that have been co-opted but also our vacations. Adjust Job Requirements to Allow for Stress-Free PTO. "I think with remote work, it was hard to separate work from home life," Smith said. Tip#2: Be friendly. Employees receive their allotted PTO at the beginning of the calendar year. Here are five tactics that can make a difference: 1. Thank you for being a great leader. 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