The trend of unlimited vacation has been implemented in many Israeli companies. It sounds very attractive, but is it really as amazing as it seems?
Let’s start with the good.
An unlimited vacation policy gives you a sense of ownership in the company you’re working for and the feeling that you are trusted by your bosses. This will naturally lead to you being more efficient and less stressed, since you are at work because you want to be there, not because you fear a cut in your paycheck.
This policy makes it easier to take sick days, since you can just count them as vacation days, and there is no need to bring a sick note or cough a lot when you call your boss to say you’re not coming in. And if you want to take off during chol hamoed or in the summer, it’s a cinch to do. This is especially helpful for olim who want to visit family abroad and need a bunch of consecutive vacation days in order to get there and back and still enjoy family time. It’s also great for parents who want to align their schedules with their kids’ vacations from school or daycare.
But here’s the problem with unlimited vacation day policies.
First of all, research shows that employees with these policies tend to take fewer days off because they feel guilty. When vacation days are limited, you feel you have earned them and take them without guilt, but when there is no set number it can always feel wrong to take off.
Also, when there are no set vacation days, you may feel the need to be available for work even when you’re officially off, so you might answer your emails, take phone calls or even do actual work despite being on vacation.
Unlimited vacation policies tend to be better for senior staff, who are more sure of their standing in the company and don’t worry about the vacation days reflecting badly on them. Newer employees and those who are not as secure in their standing may find it hard to take vacation days, since they’re worried about being perceived as less dedicated to the workplace.
Using (and not abusing) unlimited vacation
If you’re working in a company that offers unlimited vacation, find out before you plan a trip or take lots of days off what the norm in your company is. Do you need to get approval for these days? How many days a year do other employees take off? What are your boss’ expectations? How much vacation are people on your level taking? Remember that managers might have more leeway than their underlings.
Even if your company doesn’t require you to give advance notice about vacation days, it’s good policy to do so wherever possible. Your managers can’t plan the workflow properly if they don’t know your work schedule, so unless it’s a last-minute change you can’t do anything about, give your boss a heads-up about when you’ll be out.
Bottom line: If you’re considering a job that has unlimited vacation days, or your current workplace has just switched its policy, approach it with realistic expectations. You’re still going to be working most days and you’ll have to be responsible about when you take off, but you can enjoy a little less stress around vacation time and be more efficient when you are at work.
