Companies Offer Workers More Time Off to Avoid Burnout | The Washington Post

As I noted in a post about a Gallup report titled, The Wellbeing-Engagement Paradox, more workers report increased engagement while experiencing diminished wellbeing. This article summarizes how a segment of organizations is providing workers with more time off to enable the wellbeing of its workforce and alleviate burnout. For example, Mozilla shut down the entire company for a “Wellness Week.” Bumble also took a week off, and LinkedIn shut down for a week in April. Fidelity is granting U.S. full-time and part-time employees five additional paid “relief days.” Marriott International added three paid “TakeCare Days Off” for non-hotel staffers, and Shopify instituted “Rest & Refuel Fridays.“ One reason firms have embraced companywide shutdowns (e.g., one week) is because it is easier for workers to rest and recharge when everyone is not working. And while various forms of paid time off won’t be sufficient by themselves to address the employee burnout issue (which stems from multiple reasons), the good news is that many firms are experimenting with these tactics as part of their worker wellbeing and employee engagement strategies.