At this time I am proudly able to announce the reopening of Our Business on June 05, 2020. Its very important that our employees stay balanced in their life. Vacations are necessary to help you re-charge and be your best in the office. Helping to Minimize Lost Days By setting out a clear policy and making leave easy to book, business owners can set a precedent that taking leave from work is encouraged. Its also important to provide employees with references to any government or health official guidance, so they can also take that into account. Research shows that, thanks to remote work, we're spending an average. Many companies are encouraging employees to take off half days, a day in the middle of the week, or a Monday or Friday to extend the weekend. Company culture has to promote self-care and wellness for the employees. If you havent taken a vacation yet this year, I hope youll consider taking some time off soon. [company] is committed to ensuring that employees make the most of their allotted PTO, so please coordinate with your manager or supervisor to utilize this policy. How to Tell an Employee to Take a Leave | Small Business - Chron For example, one of my direct reports said she was not going to use her vacation as she did not have any plans. 3. Employee Letter and Email Examples - The Balance Careers When you run a small business, it's hard to compete with the big guys in winning the war for talent. When anyone on your team logs into Timetastic, theyll see their Wallchart: Their Wallchart tells them who has approved time off on the calendar, along with their own leave balance, so they can see how much leave they still have left to use. Employees need time to rest and enjoy themselves outside work. Please confirm that you want to proceed with deleting bookmark. When some of your employees are using time off, share that information with the rest of the team and encourage them to do so as well. Help staff ease back into work after their leave. We need to refuel early and often. If it has been awhile since you took a vacation, start planning your time off. Frequent breaks are more helpful because amped up levels of stress mean we cant always wait for the long-anticipated, lengthy vacations of the past. On the other hand, your business operations may permit you to allow employees to take vacation time on a day-by-day basis. This could include switching from an accrual bank or lump sum benefit to unlimited PTO, which eliminates the risk of expensive year-end payouts for unused vacation days. if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-china.aspx") > -1) { 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. It does not offer legal advice, and cannot guarantee the accuracy or suitability of its content for a particular purpose. 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. By having these conversations, you can better understand why your employees arent taking time off, and what factors are preventing them from doing so. 2. The company sent employees reminders to start planning their vacation schedules, with few responses. By starting from a place of care and concern for your workforce you reinforce the maxim that people are your strongest asset and that youre there for them in good times and bad, regardless of their individual circumstances. Im writing to remind you that we have an annual leave policy. 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. Drew Gieseke Encourage holiday talk in your company. 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. You, your team, and your directors. We live in Virginia and many drives that are beautiful. So, by looking into your efforts and integrity to accomplish your goal in the company, we have decided to offer you a special leave for (mention the period) days, and we will be very happy if you accept it. As a result, other team members will see that using time off is acceptable, and they will feel they can . These employee thank you letters are a perfect way to show the company's gratitude to some employees or even peers for their hard work and effort, as well as their accomplishment to a project. Encouraging Your Employees to Take Vacations - MIBluesPerspectives DOCX Direction to take excessive annual leave template - Fair Work Here's how you can encourage your employees to take their vacation time this year, even if it's only a staycation: Set an example. 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. "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. Company leaders thought it would be too expensive to allow employees to carry over time or pay them for unused vacation days. The first step to dismissing any negative perceptions about taking time off is to reassure your employees that their jobs are safe. 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. How to encourage employees to take annual leave - Breathe HR It is essential for your employees to take time off from work for their sake, as much as yours. There are a lot of stressors now and our biggest concern is our employees becoming burned out. Some organizations, such as the Assure Women's Center in Omaha, Neb., opted to let employees carry over more vacation time. Sometimes, it's also about finding ways to encourage employees to take well-deserved time off. document.head.append(temp_style); You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. } Harvards Leslie Perlow showed how consultants at Boston Consulting Group made significant progress in job satisfaction, work-life balance, and collaboration and effectiveness by taking predictable time off from their cell phones while ensuring that their work is covered by a fellow team member during that time. You also want them to come back feeling refreshed and ready for another round of productivity. Need help with a specific HR issue like coronavirus or FLSA? For our reps, we've developed a simple algorithm for encouraging them to take vacation days and PTO. A substantial number of companies (42 percent) have made or are planning changes to PTO, vacation and sick-day programs, according to Willis Towers Watson. 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;}'; Change the Way PTO is Discussed in Your Office. 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. Working from home doesnt mean working all the time. Why it's in your interest for staff to take leave. Encouraging to take time off is one of the most important things that you can do for your employees. It was hard for all survey respondents to know what to do with an extended vacation of more than a week. In general, yes, employers can require employees who physically enter the workplace to be vaccinated for COVID-19, and before the pandemic, other employer vaccine mandates have been applied, such . If our content helps you to contend with coronavirus and other challenges, please consider, Unused vacations have cost U.S. businesses, women academics are publishing fewer papers. If You're in HR, Send this Email About Coronavirus to Staff - Workest Is the PTO benefit still competitive with other employers in the industry? By providing a modest assortment of refreshments, snack options, and kitchen appliances, you'll make sure your employees feel like a critical part of the team. This combination pushed the company to send an e-mail to its 600 employees last month asking each of them to take five days of vacation before the end of August, said Steve Pemberton, chief human . In an age where 24/7 connectivity and increasing workloads are the norms, it can be hard for employees to take time off. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concernsI look forward to hearing from you soon!. 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. They can do this through their browser or through our mobile app anytime they want. Otherwise, youre heading for burnout and thats bad for everyone. Practice what you preach. Dear (mention the name of the recipient). Finally, employers can simply remind employees to take their time off before the end of the year. Please log in as a SHRM member. We are keen to hear your thoughts on the best way to motivate everyone in the workplace to get involved with our drive to be more energy efficient. Subject Line: Please join us as we re-open our doors on June 05, 2020. Here are a few samples to help you draft the perfect vacation request letter. The request is automatically sent to the right person usually their direct manager, but this can be anyone you want in charge of reviewing holiday requests. Returning To Work After Vacation [8 Tips and Email Examples] - BambooHR They considered creating a vacation bank that would accept donations of employees' unused PTO that could be tapped by colleagues facing extraordinary circumstances, but that was found to be too complicated to administer. In fact, 62% of American workers say they eat lunch at their desks. This is the same information in the Burnout Board, but its sent directly to you, so you dont risk overlooking it. Some fear that taking time off may make them appear less dedicated or essential, attributes that no one wants to project amid layoffs across many industries. 'We understand you can't travel. I will be back at work on [DATE]. In many companies, employees may even need to find coverage while they're out so their workload isn't interrupted. But if you dont use it by the end of the year, [DD/MM/YY], then your time off will reset for the new year. If you have any queries, you can reach our department of [Mention the details] at [mention phone number] or send your questions through an email at [mention the email address]. When Crystal Brown-Tatum, a human resources manager at Dallas Summer Musicals, noticed that her staff members were accruing more paid time off (PTO) during the pandemic than they would be able to roll over in 2021, she sent out a list of road trips for employees to consider taking. Step 3 - Create your direction to take annual leave due to an excessive leave balance letter . By using a human resources information system (HRIS) like BerniePortal, HR can make this enhanced employee handbook available for everyone on the team with a few clicks. One of the things employers can do to encourage PTO is to reduce meetings, which allows employees to have a clear schedule and take time off without fear of missing out on work information or opportunities, some experts say. Sending it in the morning leaves time for your coworkers to get any clarification before you leave. To minimize employees' lost days, 24 percent of companies are planning to increase carryover limits. Does the organization pay out unused time off? The way leaders take a vacation is a signal for employees on vacation expectations. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. This letter is to inform [mention the name of the person] from [mention the name of the company or the organization to which you are writing this letter] that I the [mention designation of yours] of [mention name of the company and the organization] would like to encourage you to take a vacation from your work for few days. 7 Reasons to encourage employees to take time off More employees began requesting vacations in June, but they pulled back again in mid-July July as virus cases roared back, according to Zenefits, a San Francisco-based benefits provider. If you're like most Americans, it's likely been a while, as 55% of workers don't use all their paid time off. Limit the rollover of unused paid leave days. A vacation leave letter is a written request from employees to their company asking for approval for time off. We help you make things easy for everyone by giving you two things in this article: Lets be honest: You shouldnt really need letter templates. Disclaimer, Elon Musk's Illusion of Control Undermining Teslas Future, SHRM Partners with William G. McGowan Charitable Fund with Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. and Diana Spencer, The Moment is Now for Emotional Intelligence - #SHRM22, How HR Analytics Can Leverage Performance Appraisal System. There's more to PTO than making adjustments at the end of the year. Sterling R. Morris, Intermountain Healthcare. When the economy is unstable, employers are faced with difficult decisions around staffing, pay and benefits. Also, push your team to unplug for at least a day on the weekend, never checking any work messages. When was the last time you used your PTO to take a vacation? Demonstrate care of your employees by offering flexibility, and model behaviors yourself by taking advantage of your own time off. "While traditional vacations and large events are not available to all employees this year, the best thing we've done to support our team is reframe what time off could look like," said Courtney Wilson, head of people operations at HealthJoy, a Chicago-based benefits platform. But these templates really just help you organise your thoughts. Let them know that vacation can improve their relationships at work, as well as their productivity and morale. But encouraging your employees to use their time off is a win for you and for them. This person can then quickly approve or decline the request, with a full view of any potential holiday clashes in the app. Sales may also be the job that needs time off the most. Find the latest news and members-only resources that can help employers navigate in an uncertain economy. 5 Ways to Persuade Employees to Take Vacation Before They Burnout Use this communication template to remind employees to check their PTO status before the year endsand their time off potentially expires. Let them know that, Its time to make it a habit for your employees to unplug from work often, taking into account their, One of the most important things you can do to ensure that your employees are able to enjoy their time off is to create company, Encouraging your employees to take vacations. Encourage Employees to TAKE Vacations | Workology Companies are offering a range of wellness options but also vary in their policies about taking time off, from we trust you, take care of what you need to to take some of your allotted vacation time to we need all hands on deck right now and we can figure out time off later.. Even though staff taking holiday can be disruptive in the short term, encouraging staff to book annual leave actually holds many benefits to employers in the long run: Cut stress & burnout, and improve productivity. How to Encourage Your Employees to Take Breaks - Corovan Select a Friday on the calendar and announce that the company will be giving everyone a paid day off. part-a (to be filled up by. What you say is less important than what you do. 26+ SAMPLE Forced and Mandatory Leave Templates in PDF | MS Word The way that vacation and PTO are talked about at your company is going to make a huge difference in people taking time off. That's why it is so important to lead by example. Putting a cap on this important time doesn't help our effort to achieve high levels of employee satisfaction and productivity. var temp_style = document.createElement('style'); As a leader or HR professional, navigating how to go about asking employees to use their paid-time-off during these times can be a challenging task. Some of the best human resource policies and practices are implemented accordingly as the workforce are aware how these can help them have a better work . What Is the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). Employees who take time off come to work with a positive mindset and charged to take on challenges. 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]. 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. This is just a friendly reminder that, as of [DD/MM/YY], you have a remaining leave balance of [X DAYS / X HOURS]. 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. I suggested that she take a few long weekends and do local explorations. Start your free one-month trial today. In our company time off policy, it states that [X AMOUNT] of your annual leave will be carried over into the next year. Employees need to feel that their organization understands work-life balance and that they are encouraged to take. Members can get help with HR questions via phone, chat or email. What Is a Dependent Care FSA and How Does It Work? You don't need us to tell you that taking time off should reduce stress. Many HR professionals across the country are struggling with how to convince employees to take vacation. You may be doing a great job as a manager, but are you showing your employees how to be good managers? Staff motivation email examples - Ergon Energy A company's leaders ultimately need to set the tone for the company's vacation policy. Managers, Encourage Your Team to Take Time Off. 8 Engagement Templates to Encourage Employee Glassdoor Reviews Policy brief & purpose. We strongly recommend taking vacation time during this pandemic. Template: Employee Vacation and PTO Policy Change | BerniePortal For example, women academics are publishing fewer papers, presumably because of their disproportionate responsibility at home. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM MENA "); Managers are also encouraged to be vocal about taking shorter amounts of time off. It has taken jobs, businesses and human lives. Downloadable (with restrictions)! PDF SUBJECT: Annual Reminder Concerning Use/Lose Annual Leave - USDA Many HR professionals report that they've struggled with how to address this trend because vacation is such a sensitive topic. "It's important for employers to say [to employees], 'We care about you,' " said Jackie Reinberg, North America consulting leader, absence, disability management and life, at London-based Willis Towers Watson. " var currentUrl = window.location.href.toLowerCase(); For instance, you can declare a day off for the entire organization: One of my clients, analytics company, Sisense, has scheduled a monthly company-sponsored, company-wide self-care day, where nobody works. "They were very relieved [by the change in policy], and we are trying to reward them as much as possible for their work.". Pay attention to your email's header and the design of its body . Additionally, [company] has the right to identify blackout periods where PTO requests cannot be approved. How Will the Anti-Work Movement Impact Businesses? According to WorldatWork, about $365B of PTO was accrued in 2019 across all companies and organizations in the US. An example of this could simply be sending a calendar invitation via email to remind your employees that you will be out of the office. Youll feel so much better when you get back than if you hadnt taken any time at all, and your coworkers will appreciate having someone healthy around them again! 1. Keep your communication and expectations open and transparent. Sample Welcome Back Letter From Sick Leave. 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. We send two emails per month max. Being transparent about leave policies allows individuals to consciously weigh trade-offs and enables everyone to operate from the same set of principles. Informal vacation request email Subject: Vacation request June 1-15 Hi Jean, I'd like to request vacation time from Monday, June 1st through Tuesday the 15th. So it becomes your responsibility to motivate such employees sometimes to take vacation leaves for a few days, and to help you create the appropriate letter for that, I have written some sample letters which you can refer to. To solve this problem, you can use Timetastic as your staff leave app. If taking time off is hard for your employees, there are alternatives that you can consider. If you're going to be on vacation for a week or two, then it's essential you set up your vacation email. HR leaders should also train managers on vacation policies, and encourage employees to speak to HR if they have concerns about taking time off. Vacation Request Email to Boss Sample: 4 Examples Holiday Request Letter to Manager: 4 Templates Annual Leave Letter: 4 Templates Leave Extension Letter Example: 4 Templates Holiday Request Letter example: 4 Templates Engineer Farewell Letter: 28 templates Leave of Absence Letter Template: 4 Emails Leave Application Confirmation Letter: 4 Templates Additionally, employees will become more conscious of scheduling their breaks. According to global staffing firm Robert Half, 28 percent of U.S. office workers anticipated taking fewer days off in the summer months compared to last year because of concerns about COVID-19. Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor. You have been a hard-working and sincere employee to our team; you have worked for so long without taking any half-day or leave. Once downloaded, you can customize the text . 3) who you are leaving in charge of any project should an emergency or immediate question arise. 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. Here's How to Encourage Employees to Take PTO - SHRM