As the economy revives, employers should encourage and support people taking vacation time
In the chill of winter, thoughts of a warm locale pop into the minds of many Canadians. With the snow and the slush, who wouldn’t rather be soaking up the sun on a beach somewhere?
The year 2020 was miserable, if not devastating, and that led to many workers not taking a proper holiday, for a variety of reasons: lack of adequate funds, travel restrictions and COVID-related safety concerns or just not being bothered when there’s nowhere to go.
A recent survey by ADP found that half (49 per cent) of working Canadians were taking less or no vacation time over the holiday season in December, while an amazing 25 per cent of workers said they took no time off.
Also noteworthy: Fifty per cent of women said they took less than half their allotted time off in 2020, compared to 37 per cent for men.
Back in the summer, the same was true, with 30 per cent of Canadians saying they were taking fewer summer vacation days, according to a Robert Half survey.
But 2021 could look quite different. A lot of people have said they’ll only be comfortable going on holiday once there’s a vaccine available. And, of course, that’s being rolled out in various countries. Plus, many individuals are carrying over their unused days into the new year.
As a result, many workers are set to take their full — if not a longer-than-usual — vacation time in 2021. That could be challenging for many employers that have become used to having staff available all the time during the pandemic lockdowns, because there was not much else to do other than work.
HR and legal experts have long said employers should encourage staff to take much-needed breaks, because we all know that helps with people’s productivity and mental health. And yet, back in June, 67 per cent of respondents said they have received no communication about using up vacation days from their employer.
While it won’t be easy when it comes to payroll and workload — especially as the economy revives — employers should not only prepare for more employees taking more time off in 2021 but encourage and support the vacation time. After an exhausting year, workers deserve the break more than ever.
