Holidays essential
I just read a good article on The Age about why holidays are crucial.
The article reports: “According to a survey conducted last year for Tourism Australia, Australians have 70 million days of accrued annual leave owing to them. Nearly 60 percent of full-time workers don’t take their full four weeks’ leave each year, including a third who don’t take any.”
The writer Ross Gittins goes on to say why holidays are so important. As a manager and an employee I agree with him.
Journalists on daily newspapers have 30 days leave per year (instead of the standard 20) because we work on public holidays.
I recently received an accrued leave report for my department which showed myself at fourth on the list (of 20) for the most leave outstanding. Two of the people above me are leaving and accrued much of their leave before I became their manager.
I’m taking about 20 days leave in January and I’m really looking forward to it. It’s vital, as far as I’m concerned, to recharge the batteries and return fresh for a busy year ahead.
The principle of being fresh is the same for all employees, and I’m pleased that my company (WAN.AX) shares that view.
I have recruited staff in the past from another publisher who never had leave in two years because they couldn’t be replaced. That’s bad management. Staff need a break and managers need to plan to replace them.
As far as I’m concerned it’s good management to make sure people take holidays. It benefits the individual and the company.
I'm a 41-year-old father of four working as a newspaper editor at Mount Gambier in South Australia.
