Dear Yogesh,
I am Sonia, working as a Team Leader with an advertising firm in Gurgaon. Everything is going well, and my team is showing excellent performance during these tough times. However, I have observed that the employees are not taking time off. I believe that taking breaks can be helpful for higher and continued productivity.
The motive behind giving break is to give them some time to relax and take rest.
I cannot force anyone, but I am worried and can foresee the chances of declining productivity. High performance and presence of mind are essential when it comes to the work of an advertising firm. How should I encourage them to take some time off and rest?
Regards,
Sonia
Dear Sonia,
You are dealing with adults and they know what is right and wrong for them. They know that overworking can be hazardous at times. It can have a negative effect on their performance and health. The only way here for you is to talk directly to the person whom you feel is getting low on his/her performance. You can suggest they take some time off and rest. It is not you alone, but employees too who are responsible for maintaining the required work standards.
The other way is whether you are taking off or not? People follow what their manager does. So, if you want to build a culture of balance, I suggest you also take an off. I know with so much of work commitments, it might become difficult for you also to take a break. However, in agreement with what you stated above – taking a break is vital. Think about it.
Additionally, below are some tips, that can help you get clarity and act accordingly:
- You can have a discussion with other managers on how they are handling such situations with their teams. Also, check with your human resource manager if they already have such policies. Knowing the current scenario, it will be a great idea to involve the management in the process. After all, it is about building a culture of balance and it should be initiated in every organization.
- Do not reward people for their long working hours. That would be the wrong message to send. People would feel that exhausting working hours are the only means to get appreciated. Try to acknowledge their efforts otherwise and help every team member remain engaged and positive.
- Millennials are always keen to talk about their life experiences and fun times. Be more open when it comes to discussions about places and family. Discuss what they did and how the place they went to last year and so on. This will help bring openness to the team.
- Planning is imperative. Making a leave tracker can help you set a frequency of leaves allowed in a month or a quarter and ensure that nobody is treated unfairly. This will help you balance time-offs while ensuring that business also runs smoothly.
You have the right to take care of your employees with respect to their physical and mental health. However, employees are also equally responsible for the same. You can provide them with the environment and leave the rest to them.
Let me know how it helped.
Best,
Yogesh
Credits: This blog is inspired by a recent blog written by Madeleine Homan Blanchard on July 11, 2020 - https://bit.ly/3hWtX0r
Have similar questions? Submit your queries directly to Mr. Yogesh Sood at - info@blanchardinternational.co.in
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Author
Yogesh is the founder and CMD of BYLD Group. BYLD is the largest group in the South Asian region, offering value-added services in HR, Leadership /Organizational Development, Business Operations, Manpower Staffing, Technology, and Executive Coaching. He leads the board of Indian operations of Blanchard Research and Training, Door Training and Consulting, VitalSmarts (LCPL), YOMA group, and Aspectum Consulting, Finland. These organizations have expertise in complete organizational development and performance enhancement solutions, including Consulting/Training/Coaching. Yogesh is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and College of Executive Coaching USA. He founded the first ICF (International Coach Federation) chapter in South Asia in 2015.
