All of these behaviours sit outside current descriptions associated with ‘absenteeism’ and ‘presenteeism’.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although absenteeism and presenteeism cover some of the human responses to workload and illness, \u2018leaveism\u2019 provides the missing link. It defines the previously uncharted phenomenon that describes a situation where an employee uses their own time, in whatever guise, to avoid the workplace when they are in fact unwell, or take work home in order to complete outside contacted hours due to the sheer volume asked of them. These unintended consequences may be brought about by organisations adopting counterproductive policies that were introduced with the [best] intention of reducing absence. Attendance at work policies, actionable attendance policies and the wider use of punitive and incentive-based HRM policies are all examples of schemes intended to reduce absence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Together with increasing workloads, fewer staff and higher expectations, \u2018leaveism\u2019 presents an additional consideration for traditional employee monitors that cannot be overlooked. \u2018Leaveism\u2019 also adds a further dynamic to human behaviours associated with responses to workplace well-being, and ought to be included in future discussions associated with workforce satisfaction and productivity measures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It may be a counter-intuitive proposition, but organizations may wish to consider the economic loss should this practice cease as a means of measurement. Whatever the consequences and subsequent approach, \u2018leaveism\u2019 presents a real issue when it comes to establishing the true picture of employee well-being and should not be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Never not Ready for Action<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWe are in an era where people are much more afraid of losing their jobs than in the past: companies have been operating in a low-growth environment for the past decade, which has meant more focus on profitability \u2013 including labour costs. Alongside this is the prospect of more and more jobs being automated in the coming years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This has meant more employees having to live with excessive workloads, and bosses afraid for their own livelihoods who are micromanaging people and not giving them enough autonomy and control at work. A study of Austrian workers in 2015 concluded that employees were more likely to use annual leave to go off sick if they fear losing their jobs or having them downgraded, or if they were experiencing low job satisfaction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Compounding this sense of unhappiness at work is likely to be the way that technology is changing how we do our jobs. In a survey of 1,000 HR professionals representing 4.6 million UK employees, 87% said that technology was affecting people\u2019s ability to switch off out of working hours. Common examples were employees taking work-related phone calls or responding to work emails. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At first glance, these behaviours may look fairly innocuous and just part of modern-day working life. However, we are in danger of endorsing a tech-enabled 24-7 working culture from which it is increasingly difficult to switch off. Work-life balance is becoming a thing of the past. For many of us this is being overruled by work-life integration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whatever the positives of not being tied to the office desk, it is not helping us to relax. Stress and mental ill health now account for 57% of all long-term absences from work, having replaced physical complaints, such as backache, as the main reason employees are off sick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the UK mental health charity Mind\u2019s most recent Workplace Wellbeing Index, employees with poor mental health may resort to taking leave rather than disclosing mental health problems in as many as one in 12 cases. In an echo of the Deloitte findings, Mind found younger employees far less likely to disclose they are struggling with mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what can be done to stop this worrying trend?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reorganising the Workload\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhether you are HR or Management, if you notice staff frequently using annual leave to keep on top of their workloads, think about the amount of work on their plate. Sit down with them and go through their weekly task list and help them to prioritise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having some insight into the volume of tasks they have to complete can help you to understand where they need some support; be it redistributing their workload or scouting a new hire to share the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This transparency will help to foster a positive atmosphere that your staff can thrive in without fear of what might happen if they don\u2019t complete their work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Flexible Hours and Remote Working\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nOffices are inherently sociable places, and rightly so. However, distractions are often plentiful and concentrating on a task can be very difficult, leaving work to quickly mount up. Research has shown that the average worker is disrupted around 56 times a day and the cost of a distracted employee vastly outweighs that of a loss of productivity, according to a study done in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remote or flexible working offers an ideal balance for many, removing distractions without punishing workers. Giving employees the flexibility to work from anywhere at any time instead of having to be in a distracting office environment during strict hours can often be the push they need to power through their workload.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Crushing the \u2018always-on\u2019 culture<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIf your employees are frequently working after hours and responding to emails, this is a sure-fire sign of leaveism. Our smartphones have made it easier than ever to catch up on work, check emails or access documents during our downtime. Coupled with the rise of Cloud software; the line between our professional and personal lives has become increasingly blurred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A 2016 report by the Chartered Management Institute found the majority of UK managers spent an extra 29 days annually working outside office hours; something that is sure to have only increased in the last few years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While French and German businesses have made strides in quashing the \u2018always at work\u2019 culture, the British have yet to make a stand against the digital ties that chain them to their work, to the obvious detriment of employee mental health and wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2014, Daimler in Germany arranged for emails to be automatically deleted when employees were on holiday. The sender would then receive a message inviting them to find an alternative recipient of the email, leaving the employee to return from holiday to an empty inbox. 2017 saw France introduce a right to disconnect, with companies instructed to set out the hours when staff shouldn\u2019t send or respond to emails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While these two cases are relatively extreme, as an employer you should be ensuring that your employees don\u2019t feel pressured into working outside of their contracted hours. Set expectations and understand your employees\u2019 needs. Your employees also need to take some responsibility as it is up to them if they switch their phones off or not. Finally, we have to give a nod to all those emails outside working hours. Managers need to stop sending them. You know who you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is a real value in providing companies with the tools to carry out regular organisational assessments and\u00a0this is where Great People Inside <\/a>comes to your aid. Our online platform offers the best solutions and tools for your company to thrive in every type of industry and any possible situation your organisation may find itself. In terms of lowering your employee turnover rates, we recommend our GR8 Full Spectrum <\/a>assessment for hiring and 360\u00b0 Survey<\/a> for retention. Finding the right talent, the best fit for the job and your organisation can be a very challenging task. It requires deep knowledge of your own organisation’s culture and a keen understanding of the candidate\u2019s personality, strengths, interests, work style and other characteristics. Our technology and solutions will do the work for you, helping you find employees who can flourish and reach the highest performance required to constantly bring your company forward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whether you are HR or Management, if you notice staff frequently using annual leave to keep on top of their workloads, think about the amount of work on their plate. Sit down with them and go through their weekly task list and help them to prioritise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having some insight into the volume of tasks they have to complete can help you to understand where they need some support; be it redistributing their workload or scouting a new hire to share the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This transparency will help to foster a positive atmosphere that your staff can thrive in without fear of what might happen if they don\u2019t complete their work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Flexible Hours and Remote Working\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nOffices are inherently sociable places, and rightly so. However, distractions are often plentiful and concentrating on a task can be very difficult, leaving work to quickly mount up. Research has shown that the average worker is disrupted around 56 times a day and the cost of a distracted employee vastly outweighs that of a loss of productivity, according to a study done in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remote or flexible working offers an ideal balance for many, removing distractions without punishing workers. Giving employees the flexibility to work from anywhere at any time instead of having to be in a distracting office environment during strict hours can often be the push they need to power through their workload.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Crushing the \u2018always-on\u2019 culture<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIf your employees are frequently working after hours and responding to emails, this is a sure-fire sign of leaveism. Our smartphones have made it easier than ever to catch up on work, check emails or access documents during our downtime. Coupled with the rise of Cloud software; the line between our professional and personal lives has become increasingly blurred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A 2016 report by the Chartered Management Institute found the majority of UK managers spent an extra 29 days annually working outside office hours; something that is sure to have only increased in the last few years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While French and German businesses have made strides in quashing the \u2018always at work\u2019 culture, the British have yet to make a stand against the digital ties that chain them to their work, to the obvious detriment of employee mental health and wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2014, Daimler in Germany arranged for emails to be automatically deleted when employees were on holiday. The sender would then receive a message inviting them to find an alternative recipient of the email, leaving the employee to return from holiday to an empty inbox. 2017 saw France introduce a right to disconnect, with companies instructed to set out the hours when staff shouldn\u2019t send or respond to emails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While these two cases are relatively extreme, as an employer you should be ensuring that your employees don\u2019t feel pressured into working outside of their contracted hours. Set expectations and understand your employees\u2019 needs. Your employees also need to take some responsibility as it is up to them if they switch their phones off or not. Finally, we have to give a nod to all those emails outside working hours. Managers need to stop sending them. You know who you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is a real value in providing companies with the tools to carry out regular organisational assessments and\u00a0this is where Great People Inside <\/a>comes to your aid. Our online platform offers the best solutions and tools for your company to thrive in every type of industry and any possible situation your organisation may find itself. In terms of lowering your employee turnover rates, we recommend our GR8 Full Spectrum <\/a>assessment for hiring and 360\u00b0 Survey<\/a> for retention. Finding the right talent, the best fit for the job and your organisation can be a very challenging task. It requires deep knowledge of your own organisation’s culture and a keen understanding of the candidate\u2019s personality, strengths, interests, work style and other characteristics. Our technology and solutions will do the work for you, helping you find employees who can flourish and reach the highest performance required to constantly bring your company forward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your employees are frequently working after hours and responding to emails, this is a sure-fire sign of leaveism. Our smartphones have made it easier than ever to catch up on work, check emails or access documents during our downtime. Coupled with the rise of Cloud software; the line between our professional and personal lives has become increasingly blurred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A 2016 report by the Chartered Management Institute found the majority of UK managers spent an extra 29 days annually working outside office hours; something that is sure to have only increased in the last few years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While French and German businesses have made strides in quashing the \u2018always at work\u2019 culture, the British have yet to make a stand against the digital ties that chain them to their work, to the obvious detriment of employee mental health and wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2014, Daimler in Germany arranged for emails to be automatically deleted when employees were on holiday. The sender would then receive a message inviting them to find an alternative recipient of the email, leaving the employee to return from holiday to an empty inbox. 2017 saw France introduce a right to disconnect, with companies instructed to set out the hours when staff shouldn\u2019t send or respond to emails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While these two cases are relatively extreme, as an employer you should be ensuring that your employees don\u2019t feel pressured into working outside of their contracted hours. Set expectations and understand your employees\u2019 needs. Your employees also need to take some responsibility as it is up to them if they switch their phones off or not. Finally, we have to give a nod to all those emails outside working hours. Managers need to stop sending them. You know who you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is a real value in providing companies with the tools to carry out regular organisational assessments and\u00a0this is where Great People Inside <\/a>comes to your aid. Our online platform offers the best solutions and tools for your company to thrive in every type of industry and any possible situation your organisation may find itself. In terms of lowering your employee turnover rates, we recommend our GR8 Full Spectrum <\/a>assessment for hiring and 360\u00b0 Survey<\/a> for retention. Finding the right talent, the best fit for the job and your organisation can be a very challenging task. It requires deep knowledge of your own organisation’s culture and a keen understanding of the candidate\u2019s personality, strengths, interests, work style and other characteristics. Our technology and solutions will do the work for you, helping you find employees who can flourish and reach the highest performance required to constantly bring your company forward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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