Jelena Zikic is an associate professor at the School of Human Resource Management.
Afraid to disconnect from work? Why you should get over it
We are taking fewer and fewer paid vacation days per year. Are we less in need of rest, or is the work culture taking over our lives?
While North Americans in general have fewer paid days compared to many European countries, there is something else going on that seems quite worrisome for our well-being as well as our productivity at work.
Taking time off and fully disconnecting has become more difficult than ever before.
Most importantly, our need to be connected influences not only how we work but also how we take breaks.
One of the challenges facing organizations and leaders today involves employees’ ability to be present, to contribute and fully engage with their work. Not only are we constantly multi-tasking, but many organizations also report increased instances of overworked employees, whose health and well-being are constantly deteriorating.
In trying to address some of these issues, several companies have even tried to offer “vacation on demand,” letting their employees choose how long and even when to take time off, in the hope that this will increase productivity and engagement at work.
You can read the full article published in the Globe and Mail on June 29, 2018 here: