Here is the end of August, and the hour of recovery has come. What if, rather than going back to work, you decide to (re)go on vacation? The idea seems crazy, and yet… A handful of French companies offer their employees the possibility of taking paid leave… at will! The case of the job site Indeed is the most often cited, after the “HR” start-up Supermood and the neo-insurance Luko.
This so-called “unlimited vacation” concept appeared in the United States in the 1990s, then was made public by a few giants, such as IBM, Microsoft and Netflix. However, it remains confidential, except in the tech sector. In the land of Uncle Sam, there is no legal framework on the duration of paid leave. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 80% of eligible American workers take, on average, only two weeks per year.
On the positive side, “leave of absence” offers the possibility for employees to decompress more, by traveling more regularly or by engaging in social or leisure activities. They also allow you to take a day here, an afternoon there, in case of imperative or pump stroke. And they give parents the opportunity to more easily look after their children, who benefit from 16 weeks of school holidays per year.
The autonomy granted to beneficiaries is the main argument of companies that practice leave galore. “The principle is based on mutual trust: the employee organizes himself as he wishes, provided that he completes his objectives”, deciphers Christophe Nguyen, psychologist of work and organizations. In 2022, one year after having implemented this policy, the company Luko assured that “75% of employees said they were satisfied”, following an internal survey.
Of course, unlimited leaves can only be part of a “management by mission”, where the work works by project or by “sprint”. Its transposition is more difficult in catering, hospital services or in factory workshops.
That’s it for the battery side. On the face side, there is a lot to complain about. Christophe Nguyen sees it above all as a “marketing concept to get people talking about themselves”. At a time of relative talent shortage and “quiet quitting” (the practice of minimum service at work), companies are multiplying initiatives to attract or retain the best employees. “Unlimited leave, however, is far from having the expected benefits on their well-being,” warns the occupational psychologist, who also chairs the Human Footprint firm.
The absence of regulation can destabilize. Things are clear when the employee has a fixed number of paid holidays (and RTT). “He can devote himself to his holidays and rest without feeling guilty,” said Christophe Nguyen. On the other hand, the questions multiply when the frame disappears. Have I worked enough to deserve a vacation? Will the team be in trouble if I leave now? Am I finally making enough time for my loved ones? “The employee then finds himself in a sort of continuous negotiation with himself, his company and his family,” adds the psychologist. A scenario that finally adds mental load, this disease of the 21st century.
Another point of vigilance, the tightness between private life and professional life. “We already see it in companies that offer a lot of holidays to their employees. Those who find it difficult to accomplish their missions during their working time have to do it on vacation,” says Christophe Nguyen. However, it is recommended to forget work during the holidays, in order to come back rested…
