Do you feel burnt out? Exhausted from the constant grind? If the answer is yes, this Klient tip is for you. Taking a break is not a sign of weakness or inefficiency, despite what the hustle culture portrays. In reality, disconnecting from work, and taking a well-deserved vacation is not just a luxury—it’s essential for high-performance teams.

You and your team need time to reset your minds and bodies. Without adequate rest, continuous work often leads to lack of focus, decreased productivity, and even burnout. Your team’s long-term well-being and productivity shouldn’t be sacrificed for short-term gains.

Research has shown that taking a break from a stressful job for some time can lead to greater productivity and better mental health. Employees who take long vacation breaks have less risk of heart disease, lower stress, a better position in life, and more motivation to reach goals and objectives at work.

Ready to improve this dimension of your company culture? Follow our best practices around paid time off:

1-Promote vacations: communicate the benefits of vacationing and get the managers onboard to amplify the company’s commitment to employee health and well-being.

2-Lead by example: Company founders, upper management, and CEOs should walk the talk.

3-Set boundaries: Refrain from reaching out to employees on annual leave. This is a sign of respect they’ll appreciate and an excellent way to mentally detox and break the bad habits of workcation.

4-Limit vacation rollover: Introduce a “use it or lose it” policy. Employees tend to utilize their entire vacation allowance more frequently when they don’t have the choice to carry it over to the following year.

5-Encourage regular holidays: At Klient, all our staff is entitled to 5 weeks of vacation. We strongly encourage everyone to take at least two weeks—ideally three weeks in a row, to disconnect and rejuvenate fully. 

Implementing this HR framework is straightforward. Give your people proper vacation breaks and encourage them to unplug and recharge their physical and mental batteries.

Remember, a well-rested employee is a productive employee. Avoid the pitfalls of fatigue and burnout. Embrace the power of disconnecting and watch your team’s productivity and performance soar!