There is a stunning statistic that shows many American workers don’t take full advantage of their time off every year. Other nations have extensive time off plans and excellent productivity reports. But how does a lack of vacation time affect your shipyard? Are your employees taking the time off they need to make them better workers in your shipyard? There are several reasons that vacation time is essential.
Recharge their batteries.
Employees are not machines with infinite amounts of energy. They can physically get tired, but work can also take a toll on mental and emotional well-being. Your staff may need a few days off at a time to relax, de-stress, and do things they enjoy so they can return to the job renewed. This isn’t a weakness, but rather a shared human experience. Companies that recognize this will have more loyal employees in the long run.
Learn new skills.
You may be surprised to learn that your employees may use their time off to do more than just sit at the pool and soak up the sun. Many employees like to use their time off to read a book or learn a new skill which they can then apply to their current jobs. To help your team do this, provide ideas for books to read during their vacation.
Reinforce their contributions.
One of the primary reasons employees don’t take all of their time off is because they’re worried about being irrelevant. They don’t want their coworkers to assume they’re replicable. They don’t want their bosses to determine that if their work isn’t getting done while they’re away they shouldn’t return. But encouraging your team to take time off and not having negative repercussions will help reinforce that they are valuable.
Better leadership.
Your vacation policies will also help to ensure you are viewed as a valuable leader in your industry. You should lead by example and take your time off as well. Encourage your staff to use their vacation days rather than roll them over or lose them. They will see that you don’t have unrealistic expectations of their working hours and they may even be willing to take on additional responsibilities because of the trust level they’ve built. It can also be a great incentive for new hires.
Work with a leader in shipyard staffing.
Do you want to know more about creating a vacation policy for your shipyard? Contact the team at Hutco today!
