Studies have shown that the average employee only takes 62% of their holiday allowance. There are many reasons as to why employees do not use up holiday time. It could be that they feel they are too busy to take a break, they may feel anxious about asking for time off, or often employees simply forget to put in a holiday request.
We are lucky in the UK in that we are entitled to a certain amount of paid holiday per year. Our holiday entitlement is worked out based on how many hours someone is contracted and may include things like bank holidays. The company dictates the holiday year, but most choose to align the holiday year with the calendar year. When running a business, it is important to know exactly the amount of holiday each employee is owed, so there is no confusion when someone asks for time off.
To find out more, consider looking at this UK holiday entitlement guide offered by myhrtoolkit and edited by an expert employment lawyer. This could help you understand how the process is broken down and ensure your staff gets the right amount of holiday, as is their right.
Whatever the reason may be, as a business manager, you should encourage and ensure that your employees use up all their holiday days. Here are our reasons why encouraging holiday time will be beneficial not only for your employees but also for your business:
Ensuring employees take their holiday time can be a good way to improve their wellbeing. Working long hours without a chance of a proper break can leave employees feeling unmotivated for work. Taking some paid time off can give your employees a chance to recharge and when they come back to work, they will feel more productive and motivated. In some businesses, asking for time off can feel a little nerve-wracking, so it is important that your employees are always kept in the loop about their holiday and encouraged to use it up.
It is important to keep track and manage your employees holiday time efficiently as a business. It can sometimes be difficult to approve all your employees' requests, especially if a lot of time is requested at the same time. However, if you demonstrate that you are trying your best to meet everyone's requests, it will improve the relationship between employees and the HR department. If your HR department constantly rejects requests, it not only discourages employees from taking time off but could also negatively affect how they view the HR department.
This is another reason why you should encourage your employees to use holiday time. Demonstrating that your company is a positive workplace can be an effective way to attract more talented workers. Potential employees will see your business as an excellent place to work because you have shown that you value your employee's time by ensuring they take time off. This can also be a great way to retain employees too. Employees are unlikely to look elsewhere for a job as they know they are being looked after in their current position.
Related Articles:
