How strongly do employers need to enforce summer Fridays?
Even as the pandemic dust settles, employees are still grappling with burnout and mental health issues at work. Some will try to take time off this summer to rest and recharge, though many will feel guilty leaving their coworkers to fend for themselves and won’t be able to truly unplug.
Many employers grappling with this issue have used summer Fridays, where companies let employees log off or leave the office after finishing their work early in the afternoon. But hybrid work has changed the nature of summer Fridays, and employers need to be firm with their no-work expectations, experts say.
“I don’t think it’s possible to really be successful with that if there isn’t a clear expectation that Friday afternoons are off, not just that it’s important but then your boss can’t find a particular file that they need,” said Rebecca Ray, evp of human capital at the Conference Board.
“That just adds to the stress because then you have the expectation that you’re not truly off the hook,” she said.
A recent survey from the Conference Board found over a third of American workers said their mental health worsened in the past six months, citing heavy workloads and long hours in particular.
About 55% of respondents who said their intent to stay with their company decreased in the last six months also said being able to take “no work” PTO days would benefit their mental health, more than the option to work remotely.
No work PTO days, or company-wide days off, are one possible solution employers have tried. The idea is that employees will feel less guilty and be able to better unplug while colleagues and supervisors are also taking time off.
Last year Linkedin gave most of its U.S. staff a full five days off over the week of Jul 4. It’s has done the same this year.
Linkedin initially gave employees a week off in 2021 after a company-wide survey found staff were suffering from burnout amid the pandemic.
Industrious, a flexible workplace company, toyed with the idea of offering company-wide days off, but found them less valuable as they snuck up on many employees who weren’t able to plan accordingly, Anna Levine, chief commercial officer, said.
They do however take summer Fridays seriously. Everyone is expected to be off by 2 p.m., and you can’t schedule any meetings past that time.
“It just forces much more thoughtful, smart prioritization,” Levine said.
“Then we’re off and we’re not gonna bother each other, and I think it’s been really liberating for our team,” she said.
The anticipation and predictability of summer Fridays is what makes them really valuable, she said.
Taking time off and being truly unavailable is something managers will have to model. But they have to be secure and confident in their teams’ ability to work effectively in their absence, Ray said.
“Unless an organization makes a commitment to do this, and demonstrates that behavior by leaders, you’re not going to have employees that feel comfortable,” she said.