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What is leavism – and why should employers be concerned?
Leavism refers to the unhealthy trend of employees using their annual leave to catch up on work or recover from illness, rather than rest or recharge. The term was introduced by Dr Ian Hesketh in 2013 and has gained traction in recent years as increasing workloads and workplace pressures blur the boundaries between work and personal time.
Much like presenteeism, when an employee comes to work when sick, leavism is a sign that something in your organisation isn’t working as it should – and if left unaddressed, it can lead to work-related stress, reduced productivity, and burnout.
According to the latest 67% of HR professionals say they’ve observed leavism in their organisation. With burnout also on the rise across the UK, these findings paint a concerning picture – and highlight the need for employers to take action.
Leavism can be hard to spot, especially in hybrid or remote working environments. But here are some common red flags to watch out for and how you should deal with them:
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What are the signs of leavism in the workplace?
Checking emails and making calls whilst on holiday
Modern technology makes it easy to stay connected – but that’s not always a good thing. If employees are checking emails, answering calls or sending messages on Teams during their time off, they’re not truly switching off.
What to do: While it may be practically impossible to impose a ban on all out-of-hours emails and calls, you can encourage employees to break free from ’work mode’ while away on holiday. To enable this, make sure there is sufficient cover, a proper handover has been completed before they go on leave, with clear arrangements for who’s covering what. Reassure them that they’re not expected to be available, and only contact them in genuine emergencies.
Working out of hours
A late-night email here and there might not seem like a problem. But if someone is consistently working long hours, logging on when they’re supposed to be on holiday, or replying to messages wildly out of office hours, it could be a sign of overload.
What to do: Raise it sensitively during performance reviews or one to one meeting to get to the route of the issue. Explore whether they’re struggling with workload or feel pressure to be ‘always on’.
Not using annual leave entitlement
In some cases, employees avoid taking annual leave because they feel guilty about stepping away – or fear falling behind. Annual leave entitlements are there to be taken and not using annual leave is both unhealthy and unlawful. Employees are legally entitled to paid annual leave under the Working Time Regulations 1998 Act, and sick leave should not be deducted from holiday entitlement unless agreed in writing. By law, full-time employees must take at least 28 days of leave per year. This is pro-rated for part-time staff.
What to do: Regularly review staff leave balances. If you do notice that an employee hasn’t booked much time off, remind them of how much leave they have outstanding and encourage them to do so.
How to combat leavism
Tackling leavism means creating a culture where rest is respected and time off is genuinely encouraged. Here are four ways to prevent leavism in your organisation:
- Promote a healthy attitude to time off: Make it clear that it’s OK to call in sick, and that time off is not something to feel guilty about. Communicate this in team meetings, policies, and manager training.
- Put proper cover in place: For key roles, consider temporary support (such as freelance cover) when employees are on leave. This gives peace of mind to the employee and ensures business continuity. Monitor and manage leave:
- Track usage of annual leave and check in with anyone who’s not taking enough. an efficient way to manage leave. Some employers introduce minimum leave policies, requiring employees must take a set number of days off each year.
- Review workloads and resourcing: If people are constantly working late or taking work home, it’s time to reassess workloads. You may need to redistribute tasks or bring in additional support.
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