At this time of year, you’ve probably already started thinking about the best way to organise your work before the holidays. Or at least, holidays will already be part of your conversations and, of course, your work rhythm.
However, you may have also started to experience a bit of stress or anxiety as you notice everything that needs to be ready before you go on vacation. This set of symptoms is known as “pre-holiday syndrome” or “pre-holiday stress.”
Pre-holiday syndrome is an increasingly common reality in the workplace, referring to the anxiety and stress many employees experience before going on holiday.
What is pre-holiday syndrome?
Pre-holiday syndrome is a type of stress manifested through various physical and emotional symptoms, affecting employees’ well-being.
The main characteristic of this syndrome is that it usually appears in the days leading up to the holidays, accompanied by irritability, insomnia, fatigue, and difficulty disconnecting from work. Therefore, it is a situation that not only affects workers but can also impact the company’s productivity and work environment.
Causes of pre-holiday syndrome
The causes of pre-holiday syndrome are diverse and mainly related to high levels of self-demand, accompanied by the pressure to complete tasks and projects before being absent. The main causes include:
- Accumulated workload: For many employees, the need to organise everything before the holidays can be overwhelming, generating high levels of stress.
- Worry about returning: Anxiety about the accumulation of tasks during the absence and the possibility that colleagues will not adequately handle assigned responsibilities.
Studies show that 72% of workers avoid taking holidays to prevent the additional stress associated with preparation and the transition back to work. Additionally, 52% of workers leave vacation time unused due to their anxiety about the workload awaiting them upon their return. - Lack of digital disconnection: The inability to completely disconnect from the work environment due to continuous accessibility through emails and mobile phones.
Strategies to mitigate pre-holiday syndrome
From a business perspective, strategies can be implemented to help employees control pre-holiday anxiety. These include:
1. Promote control of physiological symptoms:
- Offer workshops and sessions on breathing and relaxation techniques, such as mindfulness.
- Provide access to well-being apps and resources to help employees manage the physical aspects of stress.
2. Offer mental health services:
- Providing social benefits focused on employee well-being can be an effective tool to combat pre-holiday syndrome.
- Implementing mental health solutions in companies can provide additional support to employees by giving access to mental health professionals to help manage stress and anxiety. At ifeel we work to help Human Resources departments to ensure well-being at work within companies.
3. Facilitate work planning and organisation:
- Implement task management systems that allow employees to plan and prioritise their work efficiently.
- Encourage a culture of early planning and offer training on organising work.
- Provide templates and tools to help employees organise their tasks and pending work for their return.
- This includes managing unforeseen events in training and planning and ensuring employees are prepared for unexpected situations.
4. Promote a culture of support and trust:
- Create a work environment where employees feel trust and support from colleagues and superiors. This includes having clear policies on work management during absences.
- Establish delegation policies that allow employees to distribute responsibilities among their colleagues.
5. Promote digital disconnection:
- Promoting a digital disconnection policy during holidays is essential for employees to truly rest. This includes setting clear expectations about non-availability during free time.
For example, Kalina Pleil, People Operations Specialist at Labster, an ifeel partner company, says:
“Our employees benefit from unlimited holidays, which we actually encourage them to take. Everyone has a legal minimum but we encourage people to take extra to relax on a long weekend, or take some time for themselves. We have company-wide mental health days a couple times a year, as well as company holidays where the whole organization shuts down and can really switch off to allow time for self-care.”
6. Facilitate flexible hours and remote work policies:
- Allowing flexible schedules and remote work options can help employees manage their time better and reduce stress.
Benefits for the company
Promoting mental health and addressing pre-holiday syndrome benefits not only the employees but also provides multiple advantages to organisations, such as:
- Increased productivity: Less stressed employees are more productive and committed to their work.
- Improved work environment: A positive and supportive work atmosphere contributes to employee satisfaction and retention.
- Reduced absenteeism: Minimising stress and anxiety reduces the likelihood of sick leave due to mental health reasons.
Trust the leaders
At ifeel, we know that pre-holiday syndrome is a real challenge in today’s work environment, especially in large companies. HR managers play a crucial role in mitigating this phenomenon by implementing strategies that promote planning, delegation, and psychological support.
To assist in this process, our team of psychologists specialising in mental well-being has developed a mental well-being program for companies aimed at helping companies enhance employee engagement and boost productivity.
This collaboration allows HR managers to receive personalised, data-based advice on the most effective measures for detecting employee mental health issues and assessing the workplace climate. It’s the best way to understand their needs.
Moreover, ifeel’s corporate mental well-being solution offers employees a structured mental health care service tailored to their needs at any given time.
We hope you found this article on pre-holiday syndrome interesting. If you want more information about our mental well-being solution for companies, simply request it, and we will contact your team soon.
