Why You Should Ask Your Boss For More Vacation Time Today

An increasing number of organizations are waking up to the fact that increased flexibility for Millennials translates into increased productivity at work. Now, experts are acknowledging that leaders should give Millennials more time off to travel too.

Last week Notable wrote about how the new #dreamjob for Millennials has full-time security with freelance flexibility. High flexibility environments have a positive impact on organizational performance and personal well-being, and that includes flexibility for travel and personal days. When Millennials feel freedom to travel whenever the opportunity to do so presents itself, they feel loyal to their employers and focused on professional development and productivity.

The incredibly old-fashioned “vacation days” model, with which employees are forced to save up and bank vacation days so they amount to a vacation of substance, feels controlling and breeds resentment. Who would want to devote their personal best work and valuable time to an organization that only “allows” them to have 10 days off per year? It sounds like a bad deal that only a fool would agree to.

Shopify is a good example of an organization that recognizes how flexibility equals productivity. Shopify offers fully flexible vacation time — employees can take a vacation whenever they wish, and whenever it makes most sense for them. In exchange, Shopify employees are expected to be productive all the time, they need to be firing on all cylinders, but it works.

Millennials are more motivated to be productive in exchange for flexible vacation time. It’s a good deal that any Millennial would agree too.

In a recent article for Fortune, chief human resources manager for Allianz Life (a huge life insurance organization in the United States) Suzanne Dowd Zeller said two key steps that employers can make to attract and retain the best Millennial talent are: Offer unique benefits, like on-site childcare, pet insurance and travel discounts, and cultivate future leaders with programs for personal and professional development.

Millennials want to feel like they’re in a healthy relationship with their employers, where they can maintain a sense of independence while working together to become a stronger couple.

The benefits of a healthy relationship are trust, loyalty and commitment and the same principles apply to professional relationships as they do personal ones.

The likeliest outcome of a Millennial being in an unhealthy relationship with their employer is the same as an unhealthy personal relationship: They’ll get sick of it and look elsewhere for happiness.  

The bottom line? You should share this story with your boss if you need more vacation time.

Related:

The New Dream Job for Millennials has Full-Time Security with Freelance Flexibility

How To Successfully Quit Your Job and Move Forward