We’re in the thick of summer and traveling is on the hearts and minds of many people. This means your quick lube is going to be jam-packed with road warriors. My question is, are you going to join them?
Typically, I’d go into a spiel about prepping your customers’ cars for summer fun. But, this time, I want to talk about you and your summer plans.
According to a study on vacation time conducted by Oxford Economics, Americans are wasting $52.4 billion each year for not taking time off work. Unused vacation days are becoming an epidemic to many workers and are taking less vacation than a decade ago. Are you using yours?
No matter the vacation policy you have set up for your employees (or the company has set up for you as an employee), it should be encouraged for everyone to use their vacation days.
If you and/or your employees are able to take a step back and take a breath, then burn out can occur.
“Burnt-out workforce can result in lower productivity and retention,” said Adam Sacks, president of tourism economics at Oxford Economics. “Those unspent vacation days are still on [the company’s] books in terms of liability, which can be quite burdensome from a cash-flow standpoint.”
If your state allows for a “use it or lose it” vacation policy, employees are more likely to use all their vacation under it. However, some cities and certain states don’t allow “use it or lose it” policies, such as California.
If you think about it, not using your vacation days means you are essentially working for free on days you could be spending time with family or friends.
Don’t let burn out occur this summer. Find a way to be like your customers and enjoy your time away from the shop. Just make sure you get your oil changed before you make the journey (I had to say something about an oil change, didn’t I?).
Reference: http://blogs.wsj.com/atwork/2015/03/04/the-cost-of-unused-vacation-time-224-billion/
