The Benefits of Time Off

We’re halfway through the summer months now, which means we’re once again taking a moment to turn to our teams and ask: have you taken your time off yet?

Now, don’t get me wrong –?I know that not every job or position affords team members the ability to take time off during the summertime, and I also understand that every team member has their own circumstances and scenarios that can dictate how and when PTO is utilized.?

That said! I always like to have this conversation in and around this time of year because while not everybody takes time off during the warmer months, the dog days of summer do definitely bring thoughts of sandy beaches and sunny getaways front-of-mind.

I’m a big advocate for team members taking the time off they’re due. I take this stance for a number of reasons –?chief among which, as an employer myself, is due to just how positive an impact team member time-off has on the larger business.?

Wait, you might be thinking. Time off is good for business?

It most certainly is –?and if you need convincing on the subject, I’m very happy to be the mindful leader to do so. ??

Good for the Mind

When your team members take time off (and really take time off –?“quiet vacationing” or time away without truly disconnecting undercuts the whole point), it gives them a chance to mentally recharge, reset, and return to work more ready than ever to drive your business forward.?

That’s not just conjecture, either. It’s literal science.

“Neuroscience is so clear, through PET scans and MRIs, that the ‘aha’ moment comes when you’re in a relaxed state of mind,” says Brigid Schulte, author of Overwhelmed: Work, Love and Play When No One Has the Time, as quoted by Forbes –?and she’s entirely correct. Think of your own eureka experiences that you’ve had while out on a drive, in the shower, or even just going for a stroll. When our minds are given the chance to slow down and metaphorically breathe for a moment, it’s amazing just how much more potent they can become.

And the resultant boost to creativity, cognitive flexibility, and problem-solving capacity? That’s about as clear a boon to business success and bottom lines as there’s ever been.

Good for the Body

Team members with well-rested minds bring a wide breadth of business benefits to the table – but the literal, physical rest that team members enjoy over a bit of a break brings additional clear and tangible boosts to organizational bottom lines as well.

Team members who take time off experience a whole range of health benefits, from enjoying less stress to averaging additional, higher-quality hours of sleep and more.

This all adds up to create a scenario in which team members who take time off are healthier and less at-risk for issues like heart disease and other stress-related illnesses. This, of course, results in team members who are operating at peak physical condition – meaning higher productivity, lower incidences of presenteeism or absenteeism, and ultimately decreased benefits costs for plan providers.

Good for the Soul

Finally, in addition to the tangible benefits that time off brings to the body and mind, it also has a very legitimate (if not somewhat more abstract!) impact on the soul.

That might sound a bit theoretical to be very business-beneficial, but out of everything we’ve covered today, this aspect of the conversation might actually be the most impactful in a larger, overarching sense. Team members who take time off are going to enjoy all the benefits often touted by those speaking to the importance of work-life balance, and then some.

People get the chance to disconnect and gain perspective during their time off. There’s time to reflect and take stock of what’s important when you get to step back from the grind for a moment –?and it's not lost on team members that they’re able to enjoy this opportunity because their employer encourages them to take that time, sparking loyalty and goodwill that lowers turnover and boosts retention rates as a result.

More than that, the creative soul thrives during time away. Lin-Manuel Miranda famously conceived of Hamilton during just one of these moments. "It’s no accident that the best idea I’ve ever had in my life – perhaps maybe the best one I’ll ever have in my life –?came to me on vacation," Miranda said in an interview years back now. "The moment my brain got a moment’s rest, ‘Hamilton' walked into it.”

If you think your business could use a Hamilton-level idea or two (and really, whose couldn’t?), consider encouraging your team members to step away from the day-to-day for a bit of time off – who knows what great ideas they’ll come back with!

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Thanks as always for taking the time out of your busy day to stop by and read the latest –?I couldn’t appreciate it more! Hopefully I’ve inspired you to go ahead and finally book that bit of time off you’ve been looking forward to; you deserve it, and your work will benefit from it when you get back, too.

In the meantime, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at Excel Benefit Consulting to learn more about building a benefits package that sets your team up for success today; we’re always happy to chat, connect, and collaborate!

By Caroline Kugelmass. As our President, Caroline is our fearless leader. She’d do anything to make a client smile and extends the same care to her staff every day.

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