One of your reports has accrued a lot of paid time off

Support your team in taking time off. Scheduling time off is important for both their well-being and productivity. Here’s how to start the conversation:

In your next 1-1, start by asking: I noticed you have [amount of accrued vacation time] vacation days accrued. It’s important to give yourself some regular time away from work. Do you have plans to take time off soon? 

If they don’t have any plans to take time off, ask if there is anything preventing them from taking time off that you could help with. Also make sure they’re aware of our time off policy and know how to request time off. 

Additional tips:

• Help remove barriers. Sometimes people don’t take leave because they’re worried about their work or their workload while they’re gone. Help alleviate these concerns by re-arranging some of their tasks, deadlines, or responsibilities. Remember that work overload is one of the top causes of burnout - avoid this at all costs. 
• Get them thinking. For many folks, the anticipation of taking a trip and planning for time away, is more enjoyable than the trip itself! Ask them where they might like to go or what they might like to do with their time off. 
• Frame time off positively. Talk about your time off plans, encourage team members to share recommendations for where to go, and be quick to respond to time off requests.
• Mentioning vacation and leave policies during regular meetings can motivate employees to book time off throughout the year and create a culture where discussion around holidays is open and positive.