Increase employee productivity with rest and relaxation

study conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) for Project: Time Off, 77% of talent managers and human resource (HR) professionals agree that fully utilizing vacation leave drives higher employee performance and productivity, boosts organizational morale, contributes to employee wellness and results in higher employee retention. HR professionals in this study also believed that if employees started taking more of their available time off to recharge, it would lead to higher levels of job satisfaction (74%) and increased employee engagement at work (67%). A similar piece of research by Cornell showed that employees who take regular breaks from work perform with 13% more accuracy than those who refuse breaks. Over-working also leads to lack of sleep. In fact, a recent Harvard study estimated that sleep deprivation costs American companies $63.2 billion a year in lost productivity.

Promote rest and relaxation in your workplace

• 66% of Americans don’t use all of their paid vacation days. Reinforce the fact that not only is PTO available, but highly recommended.
• 55% of workers say that workplace stress is directly related to their software. Ensure that all employees have adequate software and training to perform their work to the best of their abilities.
• 87% of workers report that work flexibility increases their productivity. Consider how your company can implement opportunities for employees to work-from-home or with flexible hours.
• 71% of Americans believe that short breaks during the day help productivity. Make sure staff have the opportunity to step away from their desk several times a day, ideally to socialize, exercise, or to step outside for fresh air.
• It takes 15-40 minutes to regain concentration after an interruption. Limit interruptions, such as unnecessary meeting and poorly timed questions between staff. More and more companies are starting to ban meetings one day a week – a tactic you might also want to consider.