Every once in a while, we read a jobs-related article in the news and have a good old natter about the craziness of it all. One recent article was published in The Guardian. In it, there’s a discussion about those who actually sleep at work. But also dropped into the article is a nugget about ‘leaveism’.
Leaveism is when those in office support jobs in London and other roles actually take annual leave to give them space to catch up on work that they aren’t getting time for in their usual day. Yes, the concept is pretty bewildering. But, more concerning, the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development has found that 67% of their survey respondents have seen people take leave to catch up on work in the last year.
Something is going wrong if people are sleeping in the office and taking leave to get the job done. And, at our London recruitment agency, we know that this isn’t the most productive way of working, and certainly won’t build high morale amongst staff. Employees, especially in high pressure roles, like office support jobs in London, need breaks and annual leave to be used for R&R. Why?
1. You recover from stress
Stress levels in office working environments have reached new highs in recent years. It’s impossible to manage stress without a break. If you don’t manage stress, you end up needing more time off, at a less convenient time, to recover. It’s short-sighted to think employees can work continuously without suffering from stress.
2. You’re more productive with breaks
Research shows, time and again, that employees are actually more productive if they work a sensible number of working hours. Indeed, trials for 9 day fortnights and 4 day working weeks have revealed that less is more when it comes to productivity.
3. Innovation and creativity increases with a break
Those in office support jobs in London, whatever their role, all need one skill in common: problem-solving. Problem-solving requires innovative and creative thinking which needs brain space to happen. Ever plugged away at a problem for hours, only to go home and several hours later the solution dawns on you? Taking the break gives your mind space to come up with creative solutions.
4. You get perspective
Few of us switch off from careers we love entirely. But the breaks within the day and annual leave are often opportunities to read more about the wider industry and consider things from a different angle. You can’t gain that valuable perspective when you are too close all the time.
5. You’re a human, not a robot
It’s not just about the benefits to employers either. In 2023, surely we’ve reached the point that we’ve discovered there is far more to life than work, work, work? The best resources for employers are their human talent. It’s your humanity that makes you a valuable resource. And humans need to lead balanced lives.
If your current employer has a culture of leaveism, or worse, even allows employees to sleep in the office so they can work longer hours, it’s time for a rethink. We’d argue both represent toxic working environments which won’t help your career.
Let’s find you an employer who values their human resource. Get in touch on 020 7870 7177.
Love Success is London’s leading recruitment agency.
Our expert recruiters can help you find permanent and temporary jobs in London including
Personal Assistant Jobs, Admin Support Jobs, Marketing, PR and Accounting and Finance Jobs
in London and the UK.