Business Education

How Smart Businesses are Adapting to the Quiet Vacationing Trend

Last summer, several families skipped the usual bustling theme parks and crowded beaches for a serene cabin tucked away in the mountains. No packed itineraries, no frantic sightseeing—just quiet mornings, long hikes, and cozy nights by the fire. It was exactly what they needed to recharge.

But, these refreshing getaways – although therapeutic – weren’t exactly on the calendar. The vacations were taken without using paid time off or sick days. They weren’t even added to the employers’ calendars. Nope. In fact, their companies didn’t know their employees were on vacation.

Ways Small Businesses Can Deal with Quiet Vacationing

You see, in recent years, a workplace phenomenon known as “quiet vacationing” has emerged, where employees take time off without officially informing their employers, often working minimally to maintain the appearance of productivity. This practice, highlighted by various surveys and social media posts, indicates deeper issues within workplace culture and employee-manager trust. Here’s how companies can approach this trend:

Understanding the Underlying Issues

Before implementing solutions, companies must understand why employees engage in quiet vacationing. According to various sources, the primary reasons include:

Fear of falling behind. Employees worry about the workload accumulating during their absence.
Cultural pressures. An environment where using PTO is seen as a sign of disengagement or lower dedication.
Guilt and judgment. Concerns about being perceived negatively by superiors or colleagues for taking time off.

Strategies to Mitigate Quiet Vacationing

Clear and Supportive PTO Policies

Transparent policies. Clearly define how and when employees can request time off. Ensure these policies are communicated effectively and regularly.
Encourage PTO use. Companies should actively promote the use of PTO, perhaps even celebrating vacations among staff to destigmatize time off.

Foster a Culture of Trust

Lead by example. Managers should take their own PTO and communicate openly about their vacations, demonstrating that taking time off is acceptable and beneficial.
Promote work-life balance. Highlight the importance of rest for productivity and well-being, ensuring employees feel supported in their personal time management.

Flexible Work Arrangements

Work from anywhere policies. If feasible, allow employees to work from different locations occasionally, reducing the need for secret vacations. However, ensure this flexibility doesn’t lead to an “always-on” culture.
Flexible hours. Offer flexible scheduling options where employees can adjust their work hours around vacation plans, making it less necessary to hide time off.

Employee Engagement and Well-being

Regular check-ins. Implement regular one-on-one meetings to discuss workload, stress levels, and vacation plans, ensuring employees feel heard and supported.
Well-being programs. Introduce programs focused on stress management, mental health, and overall well-being to reduce burnout, which could be a motivator for quiet vacationing.

Monitoring and Accountability

Performance vs. presence. Shift focus from monitoring employee presence to evaluating performance outcomes. Use objective metrics to assess work rather than tracking time online.
Avoid surveillance. Instead of using tools to monitor employees, trust them to manage their responsibilities. Surveillance can lead to a toxic environment further encouraging quiet vacationing.

Open Communication Channels

Create safe spaces for dialogue. Ensure employees feel safe discussing their need for time off or any work-related issues. This can be through anonymous surveys, open forums, or direct conversations.
Address issues promptly. If quiet vacationing is discovered, rather than punitive measures, engage in a conversation to understand the employee’s reasons and work towards a solution that benefits both parties.

Quiet vacationing isn’t merely about employees finding ways to take a break; it’s a symptom of a broader disconnect in work culture. By addressing the root causes—through policy, culture, and communication—companies can not only reduce the incidence of quiet vacationing but also enhance overall employee satisfaction, productivity, and loyalty.

The goal should be to build a workplace where transparency, trust, and well-being are integral, ensuring that vacations are taken openly and with the full support of the organization.

Want to Accomplish More?

Do you want your company to grow faster and earn more while you spend more time with your family doing all the things you started your business to do?

We can make that dream a reality. Give us 30 minutes and we will show you how to get your life back. Skeptical? Good! Put us to the test.

You can call us for your free appointment at 480-636-1720, or, if you prefer, send us an email. You can also visit us at Waters Business Consulting Group to learn more about us and the services we offer.

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Biggest Mistakes to Avoid when Selling a Small Business

April 14, 2022 No Comments

When it comes time to sell your small business, you want to make sure that you avoid making any major mistakes. If you wait too long to sell, you may miss out on a great opportunity. If you don’t find the right person to represent your business, you could end up selling it for much less than it’s worth. And if you don’t market the business for sale, you may not get the best price. In this article, we will discuss five of the biggest mistakes to avoid when selling your small business: Not finding the right person to represent the business: If you don’t find the right person to represent your business, you could end up selling it for much less than it’s worth. It’s important to find someone who knows how to negotiate and who has experience in selling businesses. Otherwise, you may not get the best price for your business. Most sellers don’t expect the exit from their company to be easy, but many are surprised by how difficult it can be to sell their business for a good price in a reasonable timeframe, especially in the current economic environment. It’s important, however, to not let frustration get in the way of maximizing your sale. —Entrepreneur.com Before you speak with a business broker, it’s highly advisable to get your corporate affairs in order and understand the process. An experienced business consultant can help with these and much more. The bottom line is, that you need to know key details in order to identify the right buyer. Forgoing marketing the business for sale: If you don’t market the business for sale, you may not get the best price. You need to let people know that the business is up for sale and you need to promote it in order to attract potential buyers. You want multiple buyers interested in making offers so that the demand drives up your selling price. This doesn’t mean spending copious amounts of money. But, it does mean advertising smartly to the right people. Asking too much or too little for the business: If you ask too much for the business, you may not get any offers. If you ask too little, you could end up selling the business for less than it’s worth. It’s important to find a fair price that will attract buyers but that won’t leave you feeling like you’ve given away your hard work for nothing. Conversely, if you put it up for sale at a discounted price, otherwise interested buyers might think you’re trying to sell to get rid of a headache. Selling to the wrong person or other company: If you sell to the wrong person or other company, you could end up regretting it later. Make sure that you know who you’re selling the business to and that they are someone who will be able to take it in the direction you want it to go. In other words, someone who shares your business values and approach. Otherwise, you could see your beloved creation turn into something you would never want it to be. These are just a few of the biggest mistakes to avoid when selling your small business. By following these tips, you can help ensure that you get the best price for your business and that you don’t end up regretting the sale later on. If you have any questions about selling your small business, please feel free to contact us anytime! We would be happy to help! Interested in learning more about starting, running, buying, or selling a business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

How to Spot Bad Business Ideas to Avoid Wasting Precious Time

April 19, 2018 No Comments

Whether you’re running a business currently or looking for a business idea to get started, you definitely want to avoid bad scenarios. While there are stories of companies defying the odds and becoming successful, these are few and far between. The reality is the majority of new businesses fail. (Or established businesses trying something new that ultimately fails — think New Coke.) How to Develop Good Business Ideas Before we get into the bad, let’s take a quick look at some good ideas. If you’re already in business for yourself but want to branch out, there’s probably a reason why you feel that way. Take a little time to seriously reflect on this notion. Ask yourself if you’re no longer interested in your core product and/or service. Also, think about a product or service that can really complement your current offerings. If you want to make more money sooner as an entrepreneur, you need to learn how to spot dead-end business ideas and say no to them so you can focus on the good ideas. This is especially important when the ideas are coming from your inside your own head. It’s easy to be protective of your own ideas because they feel like your own children, but you have to learn to be more objective if you want to create something profitable. —Entrepreneur.com You can seek objective advice from your peers. Other business owners might easily spot something that’s totally eluding you at the moment. If you’re not already a business owner but want to start the process, then look to your favorite hobbies. Imagine how you can monetize what you most enjoy. Ways to Spot Bad Business Ideas If you’re looking for a business idea, you want to settle on something with real promise. But, how can you peek into the future? Well, there is no magic crystal ball to foretell precisely what will unfold. However, there are some red flags which typically accompany a bad idea: It doesn’t meet a real need. If the idea doesn’t immediately solve a problem or fulfill a need, that’s a giant warning sign. After all, how do you market a product or service that doesn’t meet an actual need or take care of a problem? It isn’t scalable to other markets. Another problematic scenario is if you can’t imagine how it will scale to a larger market. While this doesn’t mean you need to abandon it, it certainly means you need to rethink the idea. It can’t stand out over the competition. Ask yourself if the idea can compete in the real world against its closet competition. If you can’t readily answer that question, you’ve already got a big problem. It’s too complex to easily explain. Any business idea you can’t explain in an elevator-pitch style will typically experience a lot of problems. Put another way, if you can’t explain it in simple terms, consumers won’t understand what it is or how it works. How do you spot bad business ideas? What other advice do you have to avoid wasting time with different ideas? Please comment and share your thoughts and experiences! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

Tired of New Employees Abruptly Quitting? Here’s a Novel Solution for Recouping Your Training Costs

November 4, 2022 No Comments

One of the most costly and infuriating aspects of running a business is training new employees only to have them up and abruptly quit. It takes a lot of time, effort, and extra expense to onboard new hires and get them familiar with practices and procedures. When they depart shortly after their training, it means having to fill that position all over again. Since this is such a huge hassle and a costly one at that, some companies are actually billing employees who quit. The strategy is to ensure new employees don’t receive critical industry training only to leave and use their new skills at a competitor paying higher wages and/or offering more enticing benefits packages. Companies Recovering Employee Training Costs through TRAPs Healthcare, retail, trucking, beauty, and more companies are adopting a new approach in order to reduce their workforce losses. Known as Training Repayment Agreement Provisions or TRAPs, these clauses are included in employee contracts. Nearly 10% of all American companies are now using these provisions, according to a recent report by Reuters News. When a valued employee quits, the loss can have a detrimental effect on the person’s team and department and maybe even on the entire company. Not only can an unexpected departure lead to lost revenue, but it also could lower the morale and productivity of remaining employees. —Society for Human Resource Management Other industries may follow this emerging trend if it proves successful and legal. There are already federal and state government agencies looking into the practice, and it appears to be legitimate. If it continues to grow in popularity, it should be not only a big benefit to businesses but to employees as well, as both parties will know precisely what’s expected of them and how to proceed accordingly. How to Use Employee Training Repayment Agreement Provisions Because this is somewhat new, it’s very important to take thoughtful, measured steps in order to implement such a practice. Here are some suggestions for how to use an employee training repayment agreement provision in your business: Consult a labor law attorney. The very first thing you should do is to speak with a lawyer who specializes in labor law in your state. Even if a future employee willingly signs such an agreement, there may be something on the books that does not allow you to enforce such a provision. So, be crystal clear it is legal and actionable in your state. Speak with your human resources department. Obviously if you are able to include an employee training repayment agreement provision in your hiring contracts, you’ll need to get the right people in your organization on board and in the know. You can help to develop a new section in your training process that discloses and advises potential hires and new team member about this provision. Make sure new hires are made fully aware of the provision. When you’re recruiting someone new to your organization, be sure this is made abundantly clear before you proceed with follow-up interviews and probably before the very first, initial interview. Any job candidate should be made aware of this provision well before you get deep into the hiring process. Include a mechanism to recoup new employee training costs. Of course, you’ll need a way to actually recoup those training costs. So, if you offer a sign-on bonus, that may be one way to recapture the expense. Here again, you’ll need to consult an experienced, licensed labor law attorney in your state to establish a recuperation mechanism for the provision. What else would you suggest business owners do to deal with new hires who quit shortly after being brought on? Please share your thoughts and experiences so others can benefit from your input! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.