To leave or not to leave

Leanda Lee - PhD. Assistant Professor, School of Management, Leadership and Government. Co-coordinator MBA Program and Coordinator Career Centre, USJ

I am writing this because I have a problem. My colleagues are off on holidays. In Macau, this generally means that they have gone offshore – really gone and not readily called back. Many administrative and academic staff members have up and left and there remains a rotating core to keep the daily and weekly tasks just about ticking over. These die-hards are putting their hands to all sorts of duties that are not ordinarily part of their working lives. At the same time we are revelling in the solitude of quiet corridors: it can be quite pleasant for those left behind.
In a tertiary institution, when there are very few students taking classes or extra-curricular activities, the summer period is the perfect time to take annual leave, work on research or catch up on projects and prepare for the next teaching semester. We become isolated during this time and colleagues like to become somewhat reclusive and focus on their own work. Even in an organisation such as ours where citizenship behaviour is very high, it is not so easy to obtain coordinated assistance at this time even if just because the sheer number of staff is not available to call upon: planning for human resources to be available is nigh on impossible as people come and go based upon their own holiday schedules. The modern workplace, however, requires team-work and collaboration to function so why are organisations so keen to ensure that employees take their requisite annual leave owing them?
There are a number of positive outcomes for organisations and individuals by ensuring that holidays are taken. Organisations, of course, would like to remove that unsightly liability from their balance sheets, but as employees, we are actually healthier if we take a break from work. It has been suggested that the optimal period of leave for productivity is one week to be taken every quarter. When we are healthier and more aware, workplace accidents and stress related problems decrease. Anti-social work behaviours also decrease when people are relaxed and refreshed. Studies have also shown that holidays also enhance engagement at work. So there are a number of benefits to forcing employees to take holidays. Surely they do not need to be forced, you might suggest.
Interestingly there are a number of “martyrs” who prefer not to take annual leave. Martyr profiling suggests that these individuals may find their identity so closely related to their work that work is where they prefer to stay. Some also feel insecure about their positions and believe that they need to show that they are indispensable. Taking long periods of annual leave can offer proof that it might be possible to replace them. Some also keep leave as income insurance should they lose their jobs. According to an article from the Australian School of Business some also like to stockpile their leave and feel uncomfortable without leave owing them for use when meaningful personal opportunities present themselves.
The International Labour Organiziation’s Convention stipulates a minimum of 3 weeks paid leave. The European Union member states require a minimum of 4 weeks per year. These figures indicate the importance that is placed in annual leave. In Macau, the law provides for a minimum of six days annual leave and a further ten days leave on statutory holidays but most employer offer more substantial leave provisions in accord with accepted world norms. This time for rest and recreation enhances worker motivation, keeps employees healthy, and reduces absenteeism – all good outcomes for organisations and employees. So, although left to my own devices to write this article this week in the peace and quiet of an almost empty office, knowing that it is doing us all a lot of good, I look forward to my colleagues returning to work, relaxed and refreshed, ready to collaborate and buzz with productivity.

©MDTimes/University of Saint Joseph