Experts: It should be company culture to respect employee’s time off

Filepic is for illustration purposes

BOSSES need to take a hard look at company cultures to ensure employees are not overworked.

They should also encourage workers to take leave when they need it, and respect those boundaries when they do, urges experts.

It was recently reported that most Malaysians are deprived of vacations, with 64% going as far as cancelling holiday plans due to work, based on the 2018 Expedia Vacation Deprivation study.

HELP University Department of Psychology head Elaine Fernandez says this could be the product of a culture that frames the ideal employee as someone who lives and breathes organisational outcomes.

“It’s this culture that shames people into staying past regular working hours, to respond to emails on weekends, or to either cancel plans or continue working while on vacation.

“We consistently hold those who “go the extra mile” as being the gold standard.

“Bosses model these expectations either by working outside regular hours themselves, or crossing the boundaries of employees’ personal time by requesting work and expecting immediate responses to these requests after hours and even when employees are on leave,” she says.

By doing this, employers send the message that a worker’s time is not their own and in order to be a “good” employee, you have to comply, Fernandez adds.

“Some might argue that markets never sleep.

“But developed countries like Australia are able to maintain firm boundaries between work and personal time, and these boundaries are respected to no apparent detriment to the economy,” she points out.

In fact, she says studies show that employees who are able to fully switch off from work while on vacations are much more likely to be productive.

Fernandez urges employers to model good behaviour by leaving work on time and encouraging employees to do the same.

“We can make it a commitment to prioritise employees’ health and recognise when they might need to unwind to prevent chronic stress and burnout – both of which can lead to lower productivity and a higher turnover rate.

“Neither of these are positive outcomes for an organisation.

“Ultimately, seeing employees as people who do – and should – have lives outside of work is the first step towards creating a positive work culture that boosts employee mental health in the long term,” she highlights.

Commenting on the study, Fernandez says breaks are very much a need.

“Overworking can lead to many negative consequences. Indivi­duals can experience a chronic buildup of stress, which will also cause a suppressed immune system, an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, among others.

“Organisations with overworked employees will see a decline in morale and productivity, and increases in absenteeism,” she says.

On the flip side, vacations that allow a person to switch off from work will promote mental health, providing space for self-reflection, quality time spent with loved ones, and simply having fun with activities that they enjoy.

Malaysia Mental Health Association president Datuk Dr Andrew Mohanraj calls on employers to realise that time off for employees is ultimately good for business.

“Company cultures must incorporate this.

“When employers take measures to ensure the psychological well-being of workers, there is less burnout among staff, better morale, greater retention of staff and ultimately increased productivity,” he says.

Commenting on the Expedia Vacation Deprivation study, Dr Mohanraj says the results are ironic because Malaysia has numerous public holidays and long weekends but workers definitely deserve more vacations.

“The high percentage of Malaysians cancelling holiday plans for work could be due to fear of being regarded as being less dedicated to their work or less loyal to the company.

“Malaysians may also fear that going on long breaks could result in them missing out on participating in important company decisions,” he says.

And while it may be tough, Dr Mohanraj strongly recommends that Malaysians take a break from digital devices during vacations.

“Going on a digital detox is becoming more relevant for everyone.

“It may be difficult to be completely cut off from communicating on work-related matters, particularly at a senior management level.

“But clear boundaries can be set on using communication devices during vacation,” he says.

A digital detox will help reduce stress and help improve interaction with others, aside from preventing addiction to communication devices.

Dr Mohanraj points out that the survey showed that 40% of Malaysians say their employers are supportive of them taking time off.

“I’m happy to note this. This is recognition of the link between employee psychological well-being and productivity of the organisation as a whole.

“Vacations don’t have to be long and packed in agenda. Even short breaks will do.

“My advice is that one need not plan vacations in detail, filled with a bucket list of things to see or do.

“It should be relaxed. The idea is to come back feeling restful and focused at work,” he says.