The month of July marks the beginning of the second semester and the traditional school holidays. Because of this, a large portion of professionals take the time to take a well-deserved rest. However, a common and extremely dangerous practice persists: influenced by the “Fear of Switching Off” (FOSO), or “fear of disconnecting”, many workers remain plugged into work during the holidays.
Predominant among digital natives, FOSO manifests itself in employees who, even on vacation, remain available for remote conversations and sometimes perform tasks and participate in meetings. The mistaken belief is that a disconnection for several days would impair the progress of demands and increase the pressure on return.
“I believe that this behavior is one of the legacies of the pandemic, when the boundaries between personal and professional life have practically disappeared. Many professionals ate meals working, stretched the schedule and took pending issues for the weekend. The impacts of this overwork are already well known: burnout, anxiety, insomnia, depression”, warns Maria Sartori, associate director of Robert Half.
The consequences of FOSO can be disastrous
The medium and long-term reflexes of this difficulty of disconnection tend to be disastrous and are associated with decreased productivity, lack of disposition, bad mood, among other physical and psychological damages. Ensuring a period of total rest is important to recharge the batteries and ensure that mental and physical health remains in order to deliver good results.
The example must come from leadership
It is essential that companies do not view connected vacations as tolerable or desirable conduct. An organizational culture that respects and values the rest, health and quality of life of workers encourages attitudes in this regard.
“Leaders should set the right example. If they disconnect on vacation, their teams are likely to follow suit. Setting expectations for the period and sharing this information with the rest of the team is recommended. If it is clear that the rule is to go offline, everyone will feel safe to disconnect”, comments Robert Half.
Another important measure is the organization and delegation of responsibilities during absences, which helps both to avoid overload and failures and to encourage absolute rest to be seen as something positive, since teammates will give coverage.
How to handle return in a lighter way
It is normal that, on the return of the holidays, professionals need a few days to get into the rhythm of work again. To managers, it is interesting to promote a relaxed chat about how was the rest period, planning the next steps.
In addition, to update the professional about what happened during his absence and involve him in the activities and projects in progress, it is recommended to gather the entire team.
Losses of “Fear of Switching Off” in the medium and long term
