How to genuinely encourage remote employees to take proper breaks throughout the day and actually use their vacation time to prevent burnout, especially when an ‘always on’ culture can easily creep in with WFH setups?
12 Answers
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Managers need to lead by example! If leaders are taking breaks and openly talking about their vacations, it signals to the team that it's okay and encouraged. Also, explicitly blocking out 'no meeting' times or 'focus hours' can help create space for breaks.
- Diana PrinceThanks for the great tips! How do you suggest managers handle situations where some team members still hesitate to take breaks despite this encouragement?Report
- George HillYeah, that’s tricky! Sometimes you just gotta keep checking in and lead by example—if the manager’s taking breaks, the team’s more likely to chill too.Report
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Implement company-wide 'recharge days' if possible – extra days off for everyone. For regular breaks, we use a Slack channel to remind people to step away, stretch, or grab water. Sometimes a gentle nudge is all it takes. We even have a 'pomodoro' bot.
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Make vacation planning a part of performance reviews or regular check-ins. Ask employees about their plans and help them figure out coverage. If they see it's supported, they're more likely to take it. Some companies even offer vacation stipends, which is a HUGE motivator.
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Ensure workloads are manageable. If people are constantly swamped, they physically can't take breaks or vacation. This is probably the most important factor. Regular workload reviews and resource allocation are key.
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Offer flexibility in how people take breaks. Some prefer short, frequent breaks, others a longer lunch. As long as the work gets done, trust your team to manage their energy. Micromanaging breaks is counterproductive.
- A. PerezAgree. Also set a visible example by taking breaks yourself and encourage managers to block focused/break times. Consider simple norms like no-meeting afternoons so people actually take rest, not just flexible time.
- Oscar DavisGreat! Leading by example really sets the tone. No-meeting afternoons are a smart way to protect that downtime. It’s all about creating a culture where taking breaks is genuinely supported, not just allowed. Thanks for adding that!
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discourage after-hours emails or slack messages unless its a true emergency. if ppl see their manager online at 9pm, they feel like they should be too. setting those boundaries at a leadership level is critical.
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We have 'Wellness Wednesdays' where we share tips on taking breaks, mental health resources, and encourage people to share how they're unwinding. It's about creating a culture where self-care isn't just a buzzword but a practice.
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Gamify it a bit? We had a step challenge once, which encouraged people to get up and move during the day. Or a 'photo from your walk' channel. Make it fun and social rather than a mandate.
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Actually the term "vacation" is often misunderstood as merely time off rather than a crucial cognitive reset. Encouraging remote employees to engage in micro-rests—brief moments of deliberate mental disengagement like mindfulness or sensory breaks—can be transformative. Embedding these into daily routines via subtle cues in digital workflows helps counteract the 'always on' mentality without needing formal policies or visible leadership modeling. This cultivates sustainable productivity and well-being organically.
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Try a "vacation rehearsal" policy where everyone practices being offline for one afternoon while teammates cover tasks. It normalizes absence and proves things keep running, so people stop hoarding leave. It sounds a bit odd but it can break the fear barrier around time off. Would your org be okay with enforced offline drills or is that impossible?
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Make managers accountable by tying team vacation and break usage to their performance metrics and bonuses, tracked transparently in HR dashboards
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oh man i totally feel that pressure of always being glued to the laptop when wfh, it’s like u don’t want to appear lazy so breaks get skipped but honestly ppl need legit permission from above plus a culture where stepping away isn’t seen as slacking. sometimes nailing down no-email-after-hours rules helps because if the boss is chilling offline, it’s easier for everyone else to do the same without feeling weird. also getting everyone to chat openly about their time off or share how they unwind kind of normalizes it more than just corporate memos. pretty sure ppl just need reminders that long
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