Draw the line between work and home: A Q&A with Nani Vishwanath

Between the threat of furloughs and layoffs, travel restrictions and social distancing regulations (not to mention hurricanes and wildfires), it’s no wonder that many Americans opted to forgo their yearly family vacation. Unfortunately, that means that PTO balances are weighing heavily on HR professionals’ minds. It’s not just the administrative headache of the scheduling burden that will be caused by an end-of-year rush, but the toll of employee mental health and productivity.

Related: A vacation can’t undo the damage of a stressful work environment 

Just because employees can’t take that dream trip to Europe or Hawaii doesn’t mean a break from work wouldn’t do them some good. BenefitsPRO recently connected with Nani Vishwanath, people team manager at Limeade to discuss how employers can encourage employees to take a much-needed break.

Are employees less inclined to take time off when working from home? What has Limeade experienced?

We’re seeing in our surveys that the boundaries between work and home are blurry. Those breaks are feeling few and far between. A couple months back, a lot of out-of-office calendar invites ended up getting canceled when initially planned vacations got rocked. Many employees were hoping they’d get to reschedule trips for the near future. However, we’re starting to see employees recalibrate and address PTO differently. We’re encouraging people to take the breaks they need.

How can organizations help encourage employees to take time off and “re-imagine” their PTO this year?

It’s so important that managers and leaders are modeling by example by taking PTO and breaks throughout the day and also by talking about these breaks with their team. This helps make it not only acceptable but encourages employees to do so, as well. When you know that your manager makes time for their daily walk, you may feel empowered to do the same.

Vacation no longer needs to mean a big Europe-trip you’ve been wanting–take a road trip, go camping, find an AirBnB out of town, or just hang out with the family at home without the pressures of work. We’re encouraging employees to think creatively. And if you’re not taking a full PTO day, it’s important that managers talk to employees about the breaks they are taking and encourage others to do the same. Put away the computer at a set time, schedule walking and lunch breaks on your calendar–just break up the routine.

What are the dangers of not taking time off? How serious is employee burnout?

Even though you are at home and it feels different, you still need breaks to restore your capacity. We have to be honest with ourselves that we’re in a time of great global stress. That takes a toll on mental and emotional well-being. When we start to see employees pouring themselves into their work, not taking breaks and then taking care of other responsibilities, this is a really dangerous recipe.

If employees do take time off, how have managers make sure they are actually turning off their work devices and mentally recharging?

Ideally, this should come at the leadership level. When leaders set clear expectations of employees and model the behavior they want to see, employees will be less likely to feel that pressure to be “always on.” There’s nothing more discouraging than seeing a leader sending multiple emails, joining conference calls and avoiding boundaries when they are on vacation with their family. It’s one thing to tell employees to unplug, it’s another to show it. Avoid sending mixed signals. I would also add, communicate. Recognize when an employee has been working really hard on a project or deadline for an extended period of time and tell them, “Hey, I noticed you haven’t taken a break or a day off in a long time, have you thought about taking time off?”

Leaders and managers can also be intentional about demonstrating care when an employee returns from some time away. Hold off on scheduling big meetings or tight deadlines the day when somebody comes back online. Having an intense return to work experience may dissuade somebody from taking time off in the future.

Why are employee care and PTO flexibility more important when employees are working remotely than when in office?

I think the idea that “I’m at home with my family every day…why would I take vacation?” is lingering for many. In addition to the lines between work and personal being blurred more than ever, people are having existential questions right now–the meaning of work feels different, the world is making us think about our general purpose. There is a mental tax that comes with all of this. Employers need to model the right behaviors and encourage employees to take care of themselves, give grace and allocate time to recover.

What other ways can employers support employee well-being/mental health and help them avoid burnout?

Supporting employee well-being boils down a lot to the relationship between manager and employee. When employers invest in giving managers support, this pays out in dividends, as managers are then enabled to support their employees. Managers can think creatively about demonstrating care to their employees — sending them a gift or a pick-me-up, asking intentional questions about their employee’s family, scheduling time for team connection and bonding where work is not an agenda item, declaring a team “well-being day,” or celebrating the work that is being accomplished despite the tough times we are in. These seemingly small moments of care make an incredible impact on people.

Read more:

• Employees planning to use PTO for ‘staycations,’ mental health
• Top reasons employees take mental health days
• Blurring of work/life boundaries causes stress in remote workers