Leave and let live

Technology such as iPads and iPhones may be making our lives easier, but they are also extending our working hours.

Being able to access work emails at any time of the day is also eating into our holiday time.

A recent survey by recruitment firm Randstad found 39 per cent of people still receive emails/ calls while on leave and 46 per cent of respondents think about work during their leave.

Randstad’s Workmonitor survey showed Australians are not really leaving their job when they take a break from work.

The survey also found more than half of Australian workers become stressed and believe they have to work harder when colleagues take leave.

Deb Loveridge, chief executive officer of recruitment & HR services company, Randstad, says: “Results of the survey reveal that organisations often don’t plan adequately for employee leave, sending shockwaves of stress through an organisation — particularly when business starts to pick up.

“Increasing workloads, a lack of resources and stress as a result of having a colleague away for a week or more can have a serious impact on the health and wellbeing of fellow employees — and consequently can result in lower morale and reduced productivity levels, especially within small businesses.”

Alarmingly, the survey shows:

A third of respondents in Australia feel uncomfortable when taking time off as a result of colleagues having to take over their workload.

Almost two thirds are busier before or after a leave day.

And 41 per cent say their workload doesn’t allow them to take the desired amount of time off.

“Australians are renowned for building up annual leave and not taking regular time off,” Loveridge says.

“A short break not only has benefits to our health and wellbeing, it can help us remember what it is we love about our work or help us reassess our career.

“Absence really can make the heart grow fonder. Taking time out to rebalance and re-energise can give you a fresh, clear and healthy perspective on who you are, what you want to do and what you want to achieve.

“It’s an ideal time to look back on your achievements and map out both new personal and professional goals.”

Business leaders should have regular, open and honest communication with their employees to understand work flows, team structures and potential pinch-points on projects — especially when looking at the planning of annual leave.

It’s a lot easier to discuss resourcing issues when there are open lines of communication, and you have full visibility of the knock-on effect of signing off on extended leave.

“If there is one thing we learned from the global financial crisis, it’s the need to have flexibility in your organisation and team structures,” Loveridge says. “The key is to get the balance right; to have the right mix of permanent, part-time or contract staff in order to have the agility you need to meet the demands of your business.”