Many employees want holiday time off but still act as if they must stay connected to work. Virginia Tech organizational behavior expert Bill Becker explains that a gap between leaders' messages and employees' behaviour often comes from informal, unclear expectations. Employees tend to overestimate what others expect and take cues from managers and coworkers, so managers must communicate availability rules explicitly before vacations.
Becker says employees should be able to completely detach from work while on leave and that leaders should anticipate what information or tasks they need before someone goes away. If important deadlines, meetings or client needs fall during leave, workers should raise these issues early. Discussing schedules and responsibilities in advance helps teams plan and reduces last-minute problems.
For client-facing roles, Becker advises communicating with clients before extended absence, providing support ahead of time and arranging alternate contact for unexpected needs. He adds that disconnecting matters for health and quality of life, and that even checking email during non-work time can be harmful. Ultimately, leaders should set, communicate and enforce clear expectations so employees can really disconnect.
- Set clear availability rules before leave
- Report deadlines and client needs early
- Arrange backup support for unexpected issues
Difficult words
- expectation — idea about what others should doexpectations
- availability — when a person can be reached
- anticipate — to think about and prepare for something
- detach — to stop being connected or involved
- disconnect — to stop being connected to work or devicesdisconnecting
- enforce — to make sure rules are followed
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How could your workplace improve communication about availability and responsibilities before vacations? Give concrete examples.
- What difficulties might managers face when they try to enforce clear availability rules?
- Describe a time you found it hard to disconnect from work. How did it affect your health, plans, or relationships?
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