Mark your calendar – June 2 – and play hooky in your small business

Posted by on May 26, 2017 in In The News | 0 comments

National Leave the Office Early Day may sound like something your nine-year-old thought up, but come June 2nd, it’ll be time to celebrate this very special day!

While most employers will laugh it off, or perhaps threaten anyone who jokes about calling in, you may want to stop and give it a second thought. Giving your employees the chance to play hooky – just this once – could be a far more positive thing than you realize.

Imagine the rush you feel when, at Christmas, someone gives you the perfect unexpected gift. It’s exactly what you’ve been wanting, but there’s no way they could have known that. The gift allows you to enjoy something that really makes you feel alive, guilt-free. The buzz of happiness stays with you for days, if not weeks, right?

That is the same feeling your employees will get when you give them the gift of unexpected time off. They’ll come back to the office on June 3rd relaxed, recharged, and grateful they work for you.

Spending eight hours a day, or more, at work five days a week used to be the expected norm. But today the work week is often longer and even when it’s not, the stresses can run higher. We can probably all agree that the occasional “mental health day” is a huge stress reliever. Further, one of the things that employees are looking for these days is a better work-life balance. By allowing employees the chance to tip the scales in favor of life for a change, you create more loyal employees who are happier with their jobs and less stressed overall.

There’s also a unifying factor to playing hooky all on the same day that brings employees together. When your employees return to the office, you’ll likely see them collaborating better thanks to the shared pleasure of having received this unexpected “secret” day off. Be prepared to swap stories about the adventures that were had on this National Leave the Office Early Day.

Don’t forget that you’ll be playing hooky too! Catch up on your reading, get in a nice nap, go for a massage, or head outdoors for some fresh air and sunshine. If you feed the need to do something business related, attend a webinar while eating ice cream in your pajamas (Okay, the ice cream needs to be in a bowl, but you get the idea).

Observe National Leave the Office Early Day and your team will come back refreshed and ready to tackle the work week.