Module 2 Objectives
At the end of the session, participants will have an
understanding of:
•
•
•
•
The issue and the impacts
How to encourage employees to take leave
Some of the difficulties managers face in dealing with
the issue and how to address them
How to encourage staff to take leave and examples of
initiatives to reduce leave liability
Our Organisation
This slide should be tailored to
specifically reflect your
organisation's data
Why is this program so important?
• Our current annual leave liability is X
days or X dollars
• X% of our staff have <10 days of
accrued leave
• X% of our staff have 11-20 days of
accrued leave
• X% of our staff have 21-30 days of
accrued leave
• X% of our staff have 31+ days of
accrued leave
Impact - Employers
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Financial liability
Productivity
OH&S issues
Inhibits internal transfers
Staff retention
Adverse organisational
reputation
Potential increase in sick leave
Impact - Employees
•
•
•
•
•
Adverse impact on health and
well-being affecting productivity
‘Burn-out’
Job satisfaction
Absenteeism
Commitment and morale
Management Challenges
•
•
•
•
•
•
Annual leave is not always
seen as critical as other
management priorities
Lack of reporting
Increased business
expectations
Team pressures
Meeting targets
Competing priorities
Other Points to Note
•
•
Positive impact of leave taking
on staff development and
succession planning
To increase retention of talent it
is important to recognise high
performers need a break
Despite the Difficulties…
•
•
This issue cannot be resolved
by the HR department alone
Leadership from senior
management is pivotal to
successfully addressing the
issue.
Easier said than done… so, how
do we do this?
Staff Approaches
•
•
•
Forcing employees to use
excessive leave can cause
resentment.
A compromise solution is likely
to be the most effective
Collaborative agreements allow
employees to plan use of
annual leave in a time frame
acceptable to the organisation
Ways to Encourage Leave
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Provide adequate cover
Incentives and rewards
Clear management support
Holiday deals and information
Email volume management
Incorporate in staff KPI’s
Greater visibility of
management taking leave
Regular meetings with
employees to plan leave
Ways to Encourage Leave
•
•
•
Plan for it – factor into business
planning process
Review leave liabilities by staff
member monthly
Cultural change:
– Vision
– Lead by example
– Team goals
– Be supportive
– Review annual leave policies
– Communication tools
– Be creative
Encouraging Leave
•
•
•
Plan for it – factor into business
planning process
Review leave liabilities by staff
member monthly
Cultural change:
– Vision
– Lead by example
– Team goals
– Be supportive
Encouraging Leave
•
•
•
•
Coaching of staff
Permanent agenda item during
departmental meetings
Provide cover and support for
staff on leave
Cross training
Encouraging Leave
•
•
•
•
•
Regularly inform employees of
the leave accrual
Ensure a fast and easy
approval process
Annual leave policy
amendment
Encourage staff to use
noleavenolife.com for holiday
deals and travel ideas
Be cautious; consider
individual circumstances
Encouraging Leave
•
•
Encourage a combination of
holidays and short bursts of
leave
If taken frequently encourages
employees to spend leave
‘enjoying’ rather than
‘recovering’
Encouraging Leave
•
•
•
•
•
Staff KPI – reward performance
accordingly
Line manager KPI for their
team
Offer incentives and rewards to
teams that reduce leave
accruals
Provide rewards for staff who
leave their mobile and laptop at
work
Target existing reward and
recognition programs to
encourage leave taking
Discussion Topic - Case Study 1
•
Fred has been employed by XYZ company for 8
years. He is in a senior position and has accrued 9
weeks of annual leave. You have suggested to Fred
that he may like to utilise some of his leave however
he feels he has too much work on and is too busy to
take any leave at this time
•
What are some of the things you can do as a
manager to address Fred’s concerns?
Discussion Topic - Case Study 2
•
Your CEO has asked that you, as General Manager,
reduce the leave liability within your business unit.
Your team comprises of:
– You, with 36 days
– Judy (your highest performer) with 40 days
– Frank, with 16 days
– Ian, with 8 days
•
As a manager, how would you address this situation?
Discussion Topic - Case Study 3
•
Nancy (Generation Y) has accrued 4 weeks leave.
Nancy has worked on challenging projects all year
and as it is approaching holiday season (where
business operation is at its quietest) you have
suggested it may be an opportune time for her to
take some leave before the next project commences.
Nancy’s response has been that she is planning to
travel around Australia in 6 months time so wants to
stockpile her leave until then
•
What are some of the things you can do as a
manager to address this situation?
In Summary
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Recognise the benefits of regular leave taking
Managers - lead by example
Thorough planning ensures adequate coverage
If you commit to rolling out this program, then you need to do it!
Integrate leave planning into current processes – talk about it.
Encourage staff to take ownership
Coach staff to address barriers
Short breaks are a great solution especially where relevant
workplace or personal barriers exist
Consider incentives/rewards to encourage leave taking