‘Unhappy Leaves’: 6 Ways to Address This Scary Trend

Unhappy Leaves are a double-edged sword for HR.

If you’re unfamiliar with the growing trend of Unhappy Leaves, here it is in a nutshell: Employers allow employees to take time off when they are feeling unhappy or stressed as a way to curb disengagement.

On one side of the sword, it’s a fantastic idea to stay ahead of disengagement and give employees some space when they’re overwhelmed.

On the other side, if employees need Unhappy Leave, it indicates there are some issues in the workplace – anything from a personal problem to a full-blown toxic culture.

Unhappy Leaves on the Rise

“The idea is to give employees the freedom to take time off when they are feeling unhappy or stressed,” says Allison Howell, VP of Market Innovations at Hogan Assessments. “This concept seems to have originated with a supermarket chain in China that gave employees 10 days of ‘unhappy leave’ per year, which the employer must automatically approve.”

“Unhappy Leaves are not really a new concept as many employers allow employees to take mental health days as part of their sick leave policy. The primary difference here is that these leaves are separate from other paid-time-off allotments and give employees explicit permission to prioritize their mental health,” says Howell.

So why has a Chinese supermarket policy gained momentum around the world? People are stressed and not always equipped to handle it.

“In many cases, we see employers increasing workloads, not backfilling roles, and setting higher expectations for employee output. This increased burden on employees can directly contribute to their unhappiness. In many cases, strategies to mitigate disengagement amount to short-term fixes that ignore the root of the problem,” says Howell.

For HR, this leads to a two-pronged approach to solving issues: You want to engage employees so they thrive at work and don’t need to take Unhappy Leaves. Secondly, and to be realistic, you’ll still want to consider offering Unhappy Leaves (or Mental Health Days, Days of Rejuvenation or whatever you want to call the leave) so employees can get well, bounce back and return as productive as ever.

First, let’s look at how to …

Eliminate a Need for Unhappy Leaves

“One of the most important things HR can do to manage trends like Unhappy Leaves is to take an objective look at the problem they are trying to solve,” says Howell. “Broadly speaking, it’s a positive thing when employers are examining policies that support mental health and well-being.”

Strategies to try:

1. Engagement Surveys

When you survey employees, don’t just ask if they’re engaged. Find out how they’re working and how they’re responding to work and the workplace. Ask about their workloads, ability to meet objectives, and relationships with their boss and teammates.

“It’s not enough to just collect the feedback. Employers should also be able to communicate clear plans of action around what they will do in response to the feedback they receive and, most importantly, follow through on those plans,” says Howell.

2. Value Alignment

Most companies have a clearly defined set of company values. And they expect employees to adhere to those. But some leaders say one thing and do another … and that stresses employees.

“Understanding leaders’ personalities and core drivers can help to ensure that leadership teams support the company vision and culture,” says Howell.

Ask employees in surveys if they see an alignment between leadership practices and the company values.

3. Individual Development

Understanding individual strengths and values can help increase engagement.

Try individual personalized development plans that align employees’ roles with their career growth. Ask front-line managers to work with employees at least once a year on where they want to go and how they can get there. Even better, give them tools to map these plans.

4. Aligned Hiring

To retain employees, it’s critical to make sure you hire employees whose motivations, preferences and values align with the company’s.

In your selection processes, focus on candidates whose values overlap with those of the organization, making it easier for them to engage in their work, integrate with their teams, and support corporate initiatives.

One caveat: Don’t hire clones. Yes, alignment is important, but hiring people exactly like everyone else will hurt diversity and business outcomes.

5. Holistic Benefits

Work isn’t the only thing that impacts employees’ well-being and need for Unhappy Leaves.

“For example, an ongoing health problem can create financial strain on an employee if the organization’s health insurance plan doesn’t cover certain care,” says Howell. “Similarly, if family leave policies aren’t adequate in supporting caregiving needs, employees may find it difficult to manage these challenges outside of the workplace.”

But a more holistic approach to benefits can ease those kinds of burdens. Consider more flexible time, spending and health benefits that help employees manage all their needs outside of work.

Best Practices for Unhappy Leaves

Even if you take action to help employees prevent stress, burnout and disengagement, employees still might need a safety net — whether that’s Unhappy Leaves, mental health days or well-being weeks.

“The Unhappy Leave policy reflects a continued trend towards emphasizing the importance of mental health at work. By providing employees with the time needed to be in the appropriate mental state at the office, the unhappy leaves aim to reduce workplace accidents caused by mental overload and personal conflicts in the workplace, and to increase productivity by ensuring a workforce that is operating at maximal capacity,” says Ryne Sherman, Chief Science Officer at Hogan Assessment.

A few best practices:

• Set limits. Like the Chinese grocery store, you’ll want to set a standard on the days and/or hours employees can use for Unhappy Leaves. In some instances, leave that is for mental well-being purposes would fall under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and you’ll want to ensure you stay compliant. You can access more details on our Definitive Guide to FMLA.
• Let them be. Remind managers to avoid contacting employees who are on Unhappy Leaves so they can take the time they need to bounce back without interruption.