"Take vacation whenever you want and for as long as you want, without asking for permission."
This is not a joke, but a very innovative proposal made six years ago by the founder of Virgin, Richard Branson.
And it's not even philanthropy, but organizational optimization: clear goals to be achieved, a very rigorous evaluation system – with more flexible contracts compared to the Old Continent – and empowerment of employees, who must use this freedom "when they feel 100 percent confident that their absence will not harm their work or their career."
The topic of work-life balance has fully entered the company's resource management strategy.
And it is no longer just a gender issue related to the caregiving burdens of women at work, but a true tool for engagement, motivation, and productivity for all employees.
In Italy, initiatives are still punctual – not structural – but the trend has begun.
Work life balance
As early as 2017, Lesersoft gave its 27 employees a week of vacation in the Caribbean to celebrate the company's 30th anniversary, because “what we have become is thanks to those who work with us,” explained Antonio Piolanti, the company’s CEO at the time.
Recognition for the results achieved and team engagement also at Entire Digital Publishing, a company that gave its 15 employees a trip to Ibiza.
Abroad, it goes beyond a "gift" or handout, and time for oneself and the family is an integral part of the employee management strategy. The founder of FullContact – a U.S. hi-tech company – decided to introduce a contribution for employees who want to go on vacation, either alone or with their families: $7,500 to enjoy maximum relaxation in some of the most stunning places in the world and "disconnect" from work.
The company's CEO, to justify his decision, cited several studies that suggest having more time for vacation helps improve sleep and even live longer.
"In this way, a healthier work structure is created. The idea came to me after a vacation in Egypt with my future wife," explained the founder Bart Lorang. "She was worried about me, we were at the Pyramids, and I couldn't detach from my phone to check my emails."
In addition to the philanthropy of the company leader, the topic of free time is increasingly becoming an issue of productivity and well-being, not only personal but also organizational.
Short week, high productivity
The most recent and interesting data on this topic comes from Microsoft in Japan: just four days of work, three days off, and productivity increases by 40%. Last summer, the multinational tested the short workweek in the Land of the Rising Sun with "exceptional" results, according to the company itself, both in terms of work performance and employee satisfaction, which rose to 92%.
In August, all employees at the Tokyo office received Friday as a paid day off. Additionally, the company contributed to travel expenses and organized workshops for leisure, or rather, for liberated time.
Almost everyone said that working one less day made them happier and, therefore, implicitly more productive from Monday to Thursday.
Additionally, the company reduced electricity consumption by 23% compared to the same period in 2018, printed pages by 58%, and working days by 25.4%.
Another interesting aspect is the connection between productivity and sustainability, both social and environmental: happier employees are more productive, but they are so in a more sustainable way, avoiding stress and burnout and optimizing the use of office resources.
Academically, a wide study published just over a year ago by the Travel Association and Project titled "Time Off" has been groundbreaking: the research focused on the effects of excessive work on performance and individual well-being, examining more than 5,000 adults with an average workweek of over 35 hours, and the data was cross-referenced with historical data collected between 1978 and 2016.
The study reveals that more than half (55%) of Americans do not fully use their contracted vacation days due to their attachment to work and desire to advance in their careers. However, "being always present" does not equate to "working well," and in fact, the research also explains that those who take fewer than 10 vacation days a year have a low probability (34%) of getting a promotion, while people who take more than 10 days off have an increased chance of up to 65%.
Even in Italy, it was a common practice not to use vacation days, accumulating them or "converting" them into money. However, due to legal changes that came into effect a few years ago, this is no longer possible.
A regulatory change that was initially met with reluctance, if not open opposition. However, the obligation for "forced" rest quickly became part of the country's culture.
A noteworthy example is the collective agreement signed in 2018 by Lamborghini employees: nearly all of them (95%), between a pay raise and more free time, chose to have five additional days off per year, for a total of 40 hours.
This is not an isolated case, but rather an option that is becoming increasingly common in company collective agreements, where productivity is linked to welfare.
Two of the most common approaches: balancing work and personal life by trading time off for a lighter paycheck – confirming that time is money – or bringing home extra money as a "bonus" for using up accumulated vacation and leave days, to prevent these items from weighing on the company's finances.
A trend that is different from the American "menu-style" vacations – also due to the different labor laws – but that, in substance, reveals the same need to improve the well-being of employees and optimize work themes and methods.
