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Tourism Australia has launched a new program to help unlock leave for Australian holidays.

Key facts

* One in four Australian, full-time employees have accrued 25 days or more of annual leave. With serious implications for businesses, individuals and the Australian economy, annual leave stockpiling has become one of the hottest workplace issues.
* The No Leave, No Life program encourages Australian workers to unlock some of the 123 million days of stockpiled annual leave and use it to holiday in Australia.
* The program targets both employers and employees with information and a range of resources to help win the work/life battle and address the workplace issue of annual leave stockpiling.

Key quotes

* “Australian employees have accumulated a massive 123 million days of annual leave which is equal to $33 billion in wages. If we can unlock some of this leave and get people to use it to holiday in Australia it would be of great benefit to our $65 billion domestic tourism industry.” Geoff Buckley, Managing Director, Tourism Australia.
* “Annual leave stockpiling has become entrenched within Australia’s workplace culture and it is our intention to work alongside industry and with employees to change this trend through the No Leave, No Life program” Geoff Buckley, Managing Director, Tourism Australia

What’s It All About?

This program targets both employers and employees with information to help win the work/life battle and address the workplace issue of annual leave stockpiling.

Tourism Australia Managing Director Geoff Buckley said if holidays go unused due to the pressures of the workplace and personal constraints, this will ultimately have a flow on effect to our domestic tourism industry.

“Annual leave stockpiling has become entrenched within Australia’s workplace culture and it is our intention to work alongside the business community and with employees to change this trend through the No Leave, No Life program.”

One in four Australian, full-time employees have accrued 25 days or more of annual leave. With serious implications for businesses, individuals and the Australian economy, annual leave stockpiling has become one of the hottest workplace issues. As the financial liability of business grows and the health and wellbeing of employees suffers, broader industries such as domestic tourism are also affected.

Mr Buckley said leave stockpilers are defined as Australians in full-time employment with 25 or more days of leave accrued.

“Stockpiling leave and not taking a break contributes to many workplace concerns such as productivity, staff retention, employee commitment and morale…

Not to mention the effects it has on individual’s lives, such as increased stress, sick leave and the time they get to spend connecting with family and friends.”

We will also be talking to employers about addressing the most significant barriers to employees taking leave such as finding someone to cover for people on leave, increased workload before and after leave, as well as the dreaded email or in-tray overload when they return to work.”

Dr Peter Cotton, Director of Psychology Services, Health Services Australia, elaborates:

“Not taking leave can often be associated with an increased risk of ‘burnout’ and stress-related problems. There is a link between not taking leave and having a poor work-family balance.”

Bruce Ritchie, editor of Men’s Health adds,

“There’s nothing heroic about working ridiculous hours and going months without taking a break. Quite the opposite; there’s a good chance such a crazy work ethic is making you less effective at work and less relaxed at home. This is why planning annual leave and taking holidays is so important.”

The program’s website – www.noleavenolife.com

This has dedicated sections for both businesses and their workforces. The employees’ section will help individuals and families understand the significant benefits of taking annual leave as well as offer inspirational ideas for Australian holidays and experiences. Whilst the employers’ section will provide an insight into the barriers and pressures faced by employees that result in a reluctance to take annual leave and provide tools to help businesses support their staff in achieving a healthy work/life balance.