COVER STORY MAY 2019
that harm the business. What starts off feeling like
a comfort blanket – staying on top of emails and
progressing the business – can become something
very different that turns you into a poor decisionmaker
and poor leader.”
Don’t get wrapped up in the day-to-day
It’s a no-brainer that taking time off to switch off
is a vital part of a happy and healthy working life.
However, a study in the USA found that American
workers had 206 million unused vacation days in
2016, which amounts to $66.4 billion. The problem
is similar in the UK, with many not understanding
the rules around paid holiday (see box, p20).
Many professionals may think the less time
they take away from the office, the more likely
they are to impress their boss. In fact, according
to a study by the US Travel Association’s Project:
Time Off, the opposite is true. It said employees
who use their vacation days are actually more
likely to get a promotion or raise, versus
employees who end the year with unused time
off. This is becoming increasingly understood,
says Maroney of The Workforce Institute. “While
workers worldwide are determined to fulfil
their employer’s expectations, they also desire
more time to spend with their family, travel and
focus on their physical and emotional wellbeing.
Helping employees achieve a work-life balance
that works for them is therefore a critical element
to achieving significant employee engagement.”
One person looking to put this into action is
Peter Bruch, managing director of Birminghambased
AE Aerospace, a precision components
supplier to the aerospace industry. “The trouble
is, people get too wrapped up in the day-to-day,
and don’t realise the effect it’s having on their
health, your relationships with family and the
wider business,” he says. “People eventually reach
burnout and their productivity and capabilities
become very low.”
AE Aerospace has acted on this by minimising
the number of hours of overtime employees
are allowed to work. Office-based staff are
encouraged to complete their work within
normal working hours. However, Bruch concedes,
there is still work to do when it comes to his
senior management team. “When it comes to
AE Aerospace is a supplier of
precision components with a
company-wide focus on ensuring
a good work-life balance
60%
of workers say they
check work-related
apps while on holiday
How can I strike a balance?
● Trust your colleagues: When you’re on holiday, do you feel comfortable
leaving your work to someone else? Doing so will ensure you can fully switch
off, safe in the knowledge that important project will be being worked on.
● Create more time in the day: “It’s important to be critical of internal
bureaucracy,” says Lightfoot. “Asking why you do things in a certain way will
soon see you finding ways you can find more time to do your actual job.”
● Respect preferences: Not everyone will be able to commit to working 9-5,
five days a week. You may need to make a compromise, allowing people to
work different shift patterns, while still ensuring the core hours are fully staffed.
● Don’t be a slave to technology: Whether at home or at work, the lure of the
smartphone can often be hard to ignore. It’s especially important to resist the
temptation to check your emails at out-of-work times.
18 www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk
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