Holidays essential to maintaining and improving employee performance
Looking at the importance of holidays towards employee health and work performance.
Recent research conducted by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) has stated that it is essential that employees use all their allocated holiday time if they are to be effective in their work. This rest and recuperation time allows employees to recharge their batteries and return to work more refreshed and with their enthusiasm and motivation restored. Acas has also stated that it supports employers who encourage workers who are ill during a period of holiday to take this as sick absence rather than holiday. This holiday can be taken at another time and ensures that all holiday allocation is used on rest and relaxation.
Absence rates across the UK rocketed last week, with 12.5% of employees across the nation calling in sick. This was attributed to a number of reasons such as poor weather, transport problems or people looking to extend their Christmas break. Instances like this do cost employers a lot of money and may make them take a harder line towards employee holidays – going against the advice from Acas.
Holidays: essential to good employee performance say Acas
Ultimately, it is important that all employees have a good amount of holiday leave to take during the year as this allows staff to recharge their batteries, spend time with friends and family and come back to work refreshed and revitalised. The employer also benefits from increased motivation from the employee and they may come back to work with fresh ideas which improve the organisation. In the shorter term, motivation and freshness can be retained on a daily basis by taking your full lunch hour (not eating lunch at your desk), getting some fresh air and exercise at lunch and by eating plenty of fresh fruit and drinking at least 2 pints of water during the day.
