Is your Employees’ Annual Leave Stacking Up? These 5 Steps can Encourage Leave Taking!

Annual leave is something every employee enjoys. It provides the opportunity to have time away from work to recharge their batteries and take a holiday or two. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, however, many employees have been reluctant to take leave and have time off. Seeing employees be stood down, and not receive pay due to a lack of annual leave has caused an increase in employees storing leave for a ‘rainy day’, and therefore it is not taken.

Of course, we want to encourage employees to take their leave. It helps to relieve the stressors from their work, renew their focus, gives them a break to do whatever they please and come back to work re-energised and more productive.

With that in mind, how can you encourage your employees to use their leave?

Lead by example

As a leader, you want to show to employees that it is OK to take leave, and to show that their leader has boundaries in place, such as no late-night emails or work on weekends.

Manage coverage and workloads

Ensure that employees are cross-trained in multiple roles, so that everyone is able to take leave and know that their position will be filled and their workload managed while they are away.

Provide a ‘leave buffer’ for returning staff

A buffer period for employees returning from leave allows them to catch up on emails and general administration before getting back to their usual work.

Check in with staff about their leave

Reach out to your team and discover their next holiday plan, or what they are wanting to do with their leave. This can be an indication as to whether the individual is saving leave for a big holiday or are feeling too stressed to take it.

Encourage taking leave for all occasions

Employees will feel much more supported in the knowledge they can take annual leave for things other than a holiday, such as a car service.

Leave is something all employees should be encouraged to take. By managing staffing and prompting staff to use their annual leave can transform a workplace into a more positive, stress-free environment.​