Rest is Productive: Why Employees Need Time to Properly Switch Off This Summer

Summer often brings a slightly different rhythm to the workplace.

Colleagues take annual leave, diaries become quieter, families spend more time together and, for many people, there is an opportunity to slow down.

But how many of us genuinely switch off?

A week’s annual leave can easily become a week of occasionally checking emails, answering “just one quick question”, keeping an eye on messages or wondering what is happening back at work.

Technology has made flexible working easier, but it has also made work remarkably good at following us around.

A holiday should not simply be work conducted from a different Wi-Fi network.

Genuine rest matters. And organisations that encourage their people to properly disconnect can help create healthier, more sustainable workplace cultures.

Being Away From Work Isn’t Always the Same as Switching Off

Annual leave provides an opportunity to step away from everyday responsibilities, but physically leaving the workplace does not necessarily mean mentally leaving it behind.

A colleague might be sitting beside a swimming pool while simultaneously wondering whether somebody has replied to an email.

Another may be enjoying time with their family but checking Teams notifications throughout the afternoon.

Sometimes this happens because employees feel indispensable. Sometimes workplace culture creates an expectation that people should remain available. And sometimes checking work has simply become a habit.

Whatever the reason, organisations can help employees understand that taking their allocated time away from work is legitimate and valuable.

Why Rest Shouldn’t Be Seen as a Reward

Rest is sometimes treated as something we earn after being sufficiently busy.

That can create an unhealthy cycle.

People work harder, postpone annual leave and continue pushing themselves because slowing down can feel unproductive.

A healthier workplace culture recognises that people cannot operate at maximum capacity indefinitely.

Periods of effort need to be balanced by opportunities to pause, recharge and spend time away from professional responsibilities.

Rest isn’t the opposite of productivity.

It is part of creating sustainable ways of working.

Annual Leave Should Mean Annual Leave

One of the simplest things organisations can do is give employees permission to properly disconnect while they’re away.

That means avoiding unnecessary emails, calls or messages to colleagues who are on holiday.

Before someone leaves, teams can consider:

• Who will deal with urgent enquiries?

• What needs to be handed over?

• Can decisions wait until the person returns?

• Who should clients or colleagues contact instead?

• Does the employee genuinely need to remain reachable?

A little preparation can prevent someone from feeling that they need to keep one eye on their inbox throughout their holiday.

Leaders Set the Tone

Workplace culture is shaped by what leaders do, not simply by what policies say.

A manager may encourage employees to switch off, but if that same manager sends emails throughout their own holiday, staff may receive a very different message.

Leaders can model healthy boundaries by taking their own annual leave, using out-of-office messages, delegating responsibilities and demonstrating that the organisation continues functioning when somebody is away.

It sends an important message:

Taking time to rest is normal.

What About People Who Aren’t Going Away?

Summer wellbeing shouldn’t only be about holidays.

Not everyone can afford to travel. Some people have caring responsibilities. Others may prefer taking their annual leave at another time of year.

Rest doesn’t require an airport.

Encouraging healthy boundaries, proper lunch breaks, manageable workloads and opportunities to disconnect from work can benefit everyone.

For some employees, a quiet weekend, time outdoors, reading, gardening, seeing friends or simply doing very little may provide exactly the change of pace they need.

The important element is having space where work doesn’t dominate.

Summer Holidays Can Be Particularly Challenging for Working Parents

For many working parents, the school summer holidays do not automatically mean six weeks of rest and relaxation.

They can mean weeks of juggling work commitments, childcare arrangements, holiday clubs, family support and annual leave, often while trying to make sure their children enjoy their summer too.

For working mothers in particular, caring responsibilities can still fall disproportionately on their shoulders. Employers should therefore be mindful of the additional practical and emotional load that some employees may be carrying during the school holidays.

A supportive workplace does not need to lower professional expectations. It can, however, consider whether greater flexibility could help people successfully manage both their work and family responsibilities.

Could Flexible Working Help?

Where the role and organisation allow it, relatively small adjustments can sometimes make a considerable difference.

These could include:

• Working from home on agreed days

• Adjusting start and finish times

• Considering compressed hours where appropriate

• Temporarily varying working patterns

• Planning meetings around known childcare commitments where reasonably possible

• Encouraging parents to discuss summer arrangements with managers early

• Considering annual leave requests as fairly and consistently as possible

Flexibility will not be possible for every role or organisation, but having an open conversation can often uncover solutions that work for both the employee and employer.

It is also worth remembering that UK employees have a statutory right to request flexible working from the first day of employment. This does not mean every request must automatically be agreed, but it provides a formal route through which employees can ask for changes to how, when or where they work.

Working From Home With Children at Home

Working from home can help some parents manage the school holidays, but it should not be assumed that home working automatically solves the childcare problem.

Trying to concentrate on a meeting while simultaneously answering “Can I have a snack?” for the fifth time that morning is unlikely to feel particularly restful.

Depending on children’s ages and individual circumstances, employees may still need appropriate childcare while they are working.

What home working can sometimes provide is greater flexibility around drop-offs, collections, holiday clubs and other family arrangements.

The key is realistic expectations on both sides.

Employers and employees can agree what is workable rather than leaving parents feeling that they need to be simultaneously a full-time employee and full-time childcare provider.

Help Employees Understand Childcare Support

The cost of summer childcare can place considerable pressure on family finances.

Employers do not need to become benefits advisers, but they can help by making employees aware that government support may be available.

For eligible families in the UK, Tax-Free Childcare can help towards the cost of approved childcare. This can include eligible holiday clubs, childminders and other registered childcare providers.

Under Tax-Free Childcare, the Government contributes towards childcare costs paid into an online childcare account, subject to eligibility and scheme limits.

Some employees who joined an employer’s Childcare Voucher scheme before it closed to new applicants in October 2018 may also still be able to use their vouchers, depending upon their circumstances and the rules of their scheme.

Other childcare support may also be available depending on a family’s circumstances and the age of their children.

Rather than trying to advise employees about individual eligibility, organisations can simply signpost staff towards official GOV.UK childcare information and encourage them to check what support may be available to them.

Employers may also wish to remind staff about any family-friendly benefits, Employee Assistance Programmes, flexible working arrangements or other support already available within their own organisation.

Sometimes valuable support exists, but employees simply don’t know about it.

Remember Fathers and Other Carers Too

Although working mothers can experience particular pressures, family-friendly workplace policies should support all parents and carers.

Fathers, adoptive parents, single parents, grandparents with caring responsibilities and employees caring for children with additional needs may all experience different challenges during the summer.

A genuinely supportive culture avoids assumptions and instead creates opportunities for people to discuss what they need.

A simple question can sometimes open that conversation:

“What would help you manage this period while still fulfilling your role?”

The answer may be surprisingly straightforward.

Don’t Let Summer Become a Source of Guilt

Parents can feel pulled in two directions during the school holidays.

At work, they may worry that colleagues think family responsibilities are affecting their commitment.

At home, they may feel guilty that they’re working while their children are off school.

Trying to be everywhere and everything to everyone can make a period that’s supposed to feel lighter surprisingly demanding.

A supportive workplace culture can help remove some of that pressure.

Clear communication, sensible planning and reasonable flexibility can allow employees to remain productive without feeling that they need to hide the realities of family life.

Supporting working parents isn’t simply a summer initiative. It is part of creating a workplace where people can bring their skills and experience to work while also having lives and responsibilities beyond it.

Be Mindful of the People Still at Work

Summer can also create pressure for those covering colleagues’ annual leave.

If several members of a team are away simultaneously, the people remaining may suddenly find themselves carrying additional responsibilities.

Managers can help by planning leave carefully, prioritising essential work and being realistic about what can be achieved with fewer people available.

This is particularly important where employees are covering colleagues while also managing their own family commitments.

Supporting the wellbeing of those at work is every bit as important as encouraging those on holiday to switch off.

Stop Glorifying “Busy”

“How are you?”

“Busy!”

For many workplaces, being constantly busy has almost become a badge of honour.

But being busy doesn’t automatically mean being effective.

Healthy organisations create space for reflection, creativity, collaboration and recovery rather than measuring commitment by how exhausted everybody appears.

Summer can provide a useful opportunity to question whether a culture of constant availability is really serving either employees or the organisation.

Use the Summer to Reset

The quieter summer period can be a valuable opportunity for organisations to reflect.

Ask:

Are people taking their annual leave?

Do employees feel able to switch off when they are away?

Are managers demonstrating healthy boundaries?

Are workloads realistic when colleagues are on leave?

Are working parents and carers able to discuss flexibility without feeling judged?

Do employees know about the support and benefits available to them?

Does our culture celebrate overworking or sustainable performance?

Sometimes small changes can make a significant difference.

Creating a Culture Where People Can Thrive

Employee wellbeing isn’t created by a single initiative.

It develops through everyday behaviours, conversations and decisions that demonstrate that people are valued.

Encouraging employees to take annual leave, respecting their time away from work, creating clear boundaries around availability and recognising the additional pressures that working parents and carers may experience are all meaningful ways organisations can support their people.

Rest looks different for everyone.

For one employee, it may mean two weeks completely disconnected from work.

For another, it may mean having enough flexibility to spend meaningful time with their children during the school holidays while continuing to work.

For somebody else, it may simply mean being able to finish work at the end of the day and genuinely switch off.

Creating a positive workplace culture means recognising those differences and helping people find a sustainable balance between their responsibilities, their wellbeing and their working lives.

Perhaps one of the most positive messages an organisation can give its people this summer is also one of the simplest:

Your wellbeing matters, both when you’re at work and when you’re away from it.

How Lily Impact Can Help

At Lily Impact, we support organisations, schools and teams to develop practical approaches to workplace wellbeing, supportive leadership and positive organisational cultures.

Through training, development and practical support, we help organisations create environments where people feel valued, supported and able to thrive.

Whether you are reviewing your approach to staff wellbeing, supporting managers or looking at ways to create a healthier workplace culture, Lily Impact can help.

Get in touch with Lily Impact to discover how we can support your organisation and your people.