The Summertime Blues
June 18th, 2010 by Jessica Brubaker
It’s that time of year again: thermometers are climbing, schools are closing and pools are opening. While it’s likely harder to tell from your air conditioned work-space, it’s hot (in some places, really hot). Yes, as of June 21, it’s officially summer.
If you have school-aged children or you know a teacher I’m willing to bet that by now you’re one “Dad, why can’t you come to the pool with us today” or “Laying at the pool – my fave way to spend a Tuesday” Tweet or Facebook friend status update away from losing your mind.
If this sounds familiar then you, my friend, may be in dire need of a vacation. But don’t worry, you’re not alone. According to the 2009 Expedia Vacation Deprivation Survey, most of us need to take a vacation… but few of us actually will. In fact, 34-percent of Americans will leave vacation days on the table this year (a stat that’s up three-percent from last year).
Many sources point to job stress as a primary reason for not taking off and fully enjoying a vacation. In fact, nearly one in five employed adults participating in the survey said they’ve cancelled or postponed vacation plans because of work. An additional 24-percent say they check e-mail or voicemail if they do take a vacation and 30-percent confess that they often have trouble coping with stress at some point during vacation. To summarize: we’re so stressed at work that we need a vacation, but won’t take one because it stresses us out to take one. Now that just can’t be good for morale.
According to the Bureau of Labor, this March, for the second month in a row, more people voluntarily quit their jobs than were laid off. This trend has been credited to one of two things: a bettering economy or low employee morale. I think there’s merit in both theories.
As the economy improves, many companies are able to prepare persuasive offers to lure candidates to fill open positions. Burned out employees now find that they have new options – and the chance for a fresh start, maybe including some time off. At the same time, as we emerge from the depths of the recession many companies are still running full speed ahead with a reduced team. You don’t have to be a mathematician to figure out that means more work for everyone – perhaps only further making employees feel like they can’t take the time they’ve earned.
The reality is that now, more than ever, all signs point to a greater need for a supportive, reinforcing workplace that encourages employees to take their time, and to completely unplug while they’re gone. Unfortunately, as the economy improves, companies that don’t read the signs might be at risk of losing some of their best and brightest. Is that a statistic that your company is prepared to face?
So, what should you do if you’re experiencing low morale or high turnover at your organization? Encouraging employees to actually take and fully enjoy their vacations this summer may be a first step. After all, according to Expedia’s survey, roughly one-third (34 percent) of employed U.S. adults reported feeling better about their job and feeling more productive upon returning from a vacation.