Quiet Vacations
Managing people is a challenge and getting more complicated by the minute. At least that is how it seems.
Consider the latest, but certainly not the last, trend that we’re dealing with this summer and most likely beyond— quiet vacations.
Like it or not, the pandemic put a spotlight on workplace practices that needed to be addressed. However, since they were standard practices, we just kept them in play. One of those practices was paid time off and how it is used in the US.
The pandemic and the partial solution of remote and hybrid workplaces have solved some of the issues we face as managers, but certainly not all of them, and they have definitely created new challenges.
What is a quiet vacation and why are we talking about it now? It is when a staff member who works remotely takes time off without using their paid time off (PTO), meaning they don’t ask for permission and they let their coworkers and management believe they are in their approved workplace and completing their regular assignments..
Technology makes it easy to do this. Emails can be scheduled to be delivered at various times of the day or week so that it looks as if the employee is at their desk as usual. It is possible to move a computer mouse remotely to create the illusion that the employee is working. And a staff member can log in from anywhere to participate in an online call. As long as they don’t turn on their camera so you cannot see they are on a beach or wherever, no one is the wiser. (Check out TikTok for helpful hints on how people can fool their employers, including not being connected to their boss on Instagram so they can post pictures from where they really are).
The real issue here is not that quiet vacations are happening, but why employees feel they need to take time off without using their PTO—and the lack of honesty that accompanies it.
I don’t think anyone will argue that people need time off to recharge, but it is interesting that a sizable number of American employees do not use all the PTO they are allotted annually—something that’s been happening for a number of years. When asked why, people say things like:
It isn’t encouraged in my organization to take time off.
My manager would be upset if I asked, so I just don’t bring it up,
If I take time off, they may decide they really don’t need me.
I’m expected to work all the time—even on vacation.
When employees feel this way, is no wonder they take a “quiet vacation.”
What’s the solution? It isn’t more official time off, especially if people aren’t using their available leave. Rather, the solution is to take a hard look at your organization’s culture, including how you are managing your workforce.
In your organization:
Are staff members encouraged to take time off to recharge?
Do you take time off and model the behavior you want to see in others?
When possible, do your managers collaborate with their employees to ensure work is accomplished in a way that makes work-life balance possible?
Do your managers set reasonable expectations of how and when work is accomplished?
Do you train your managers in how to maximize the effectiveness of their staff members?
And here is the bottom line: Do you have a culture of trust and transparency that encourages honesty and open communication with your employees? Without a culture of trust and transparency, you will be dealing with issues like quiet vacations and the next challenge that comes along until you make a change.