Whatever it may be, it is summer and this is vacation time, when we should disconnect from work and recharge for the next period. However, we do not know how to do that or cannot afford it, a study shows.
The majority, or 86% of employees in Latvia, admit that during their vacation they answer phone calls related to work, and 37% do so every time someone calls, according to a survey conducted by “Tele2” in cooperation with “Norstat”. Meanwhile, only 14% of employees say they never answer work-related calls.
Almost half, or 48% of employees, do not switch off notifications for work emails or internal company chats during their vacation, thus continuing to receive information about what is happening at work.
“Work–life balance is one of the most important aspects for an employee to be productive and to make the maximum contribution to achieving the company’s goals. Undeniably, there are various crisis situations when you have to deal with a work-related issue during vacation, but it is important to be able to draw boundaries and respect them – this applies both to the employee themselves and to the employer and colleagues,” says “Tele2” HR manager Aija Bite-Ozere.
The survey data show that 33% of employees are able to switch off from work already in the first days of their vacation, while for 24% this only happens after several days. 26% of employees say that they find it difficult to completely disconnect from work, and 17% even admit that they cannot do it at all – they continue to deal with work-related matters even while on vacation. Those who most often admit they are unable to disconnect and fully rest are people in managerial positions.
The survey in cooperation with “Norstat” was carried out this June, interviewing 1001 respondents aged from 18 to 74.
A study carried out last year also showed many of our fellow citizens are unhealthily devoted to work.
According to data from a study conducted by “NielsenIQ” in 2024, 14% of Latvia’s, 15% of Lithuania’s and 9% of Estonia’s residents had planned to work this summer without taking a vacation. It was observed that more men than women had decided to forgo time off. In Latvia, this trend is most pronounced among people aged 20–24, a quarter of whom intended to give up vacation during the warm season. Comparing cities, the choice to work without a vacation was most common among residents outside Riga.
Organizational psychologist Reinis Lazda at the time reminded employers that it is important to find out the reason behind employees’ decision not to take vacation. “It is crucial to understand why a person chooses to refuse vacation – it may be a desire to earn more, the employee’s or employer’s inability to plan work tasks effectively, or even a lack of confidence in their own value if the person feels that they matter only when they are at work,” the psychologist commented.
Originally published at https://inc-baltics.com/atpusties-neprotam-vai-nevaram-atlauties/
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