Be honest: as a manager or small-business owner, did you feel rested and rejuvenated after your last vacation?  If you didn’t, consider whether maintaining ties to the workplace had something to do with that.  Did you respond to e-mail and voicemail every morning?  Call the office to check in?  Tote along your work smartphone or laptop?  If you did, you’re not alone; a recent CareerBuilder.com survey found that one third of workers check in with the office while on vacation, many of them daily.  This counterintuitive phenomenon may happen because slightly more than one third of employees feel stressed about work even while they are on vacation.  But doesn’t checking in with the office defeat the purpose of a vacation?

In short, yes.  Vacation time is meant as time away from work, to relax, focus on the self, and return to the office refreshed and ready to be productive.  If vacation time is not being used for that purpose, such as when employees maintain regular ties to the office, employees can suffer high stress levels and premature burnout—all detrimental to employee wellness and your business’ bottom line!  As a manager or small-business owner, remember that employees often follow your lead on things like out-of-office behavior, so your good example can remind them that the workplace can and will function while they are away on vacation.

To help facilitate restful vacations, talk to your Human Resources team about posting these solutions to common questions and concerns.

To those employees who say:

• I feel guilty about taking vacation.  Remind employees that vacation time is built into the company’s compensation package, so it’s meant to be taken!  Employees work hard all year to be rewarded with personal time away from the job.  Suggest that they prepare for vacation in advance so they’ll worry less about leaving behind work.

• I feel stressed but my boss says I can’t be away from the office right now.  If it’s busy season or if there’s a large project looming, a week or two away might not be a viable option.  To help burned-out employees feel rejuvenated, suggest an alternative to a long vacation, such as a few three-day weekends.  Even 24 hours away from work can do wonders for an employee’s mindset and motivation.

• I want to be contacted in case of a work emergency, but only for an emergency.  This vacationer wants to be a conscientious employee without having to worry about complaints that the copier is out of toner.  Suggest that these employees designate one trusted coworker who may contact them in an emergency.  It may also help for employees to define what an emergency is, and that it will never involve coffee filters.

• I’m concerned my desk won’t be covered and I’ll return to a mountain of work.  Remind employees that leaving work behind and completely enjoying vacation is a positive thing!  Advise them to amend their voicemail to state the dates they will be out of the office, and to activate their e-mail out-of-office response with the same information.  Most routine business can wait until vacation is over.  Cross-training other employees is also an option, so routine duties, calls, and e-mails won’t pile up during vacation.

Employees who make the most of vacation time are less likely to suffer from burnout and are more likely to stick with the company.  This can do great things for employee wellness, retention, and productivity!  That’s why it’s important to let employees know the benefits of taking vacation time and to encourage them to relax and to leave work at the office.

Not sure if your business is encouraging employee wellness?  The HR consultants at YES! Your Human Resources Solution can help you find out.  We can evaluate your current employee-wellness practices, review your employee compensation packages, and even talk to your employees about what matters to them the most.  We can do all this while keeping your business needs and goals at the forefront!  If you’re ready to increase employee retention and productivity, call YES! today or visit our website.  We’d love to help you get 2012 off to a great start!