Have you ever read a warning label and thought, “Who would ever try to eat this?” But if we lived in a world where everyone thought through the repercussions of their actions, things would be much, much different. This week we’re talking about when too much of a good thing threatens to cause problems -- specifically, unlimited PTO.
Unlimited PTO, or *Unlimited PTO?…
As a leader, you have faith in your people. You hire the best, and they do great work. As a reward, you trust them to take time off when they need to recharge, without abusing it. And that’s why you implemented an unlimited PTO policy, which works great… except when it doesn’t. So what should you do when unlimited is too much?
The first thing to do is take a deep breath and not blame yourself. You’re doing your best to take care of your people, but when the policy starts to impact your culture and bottom line it’s time for a rethink. Here are a few steps to consider that help you maintain flexibility while making sure nobody shoulders an unfair load.
Look at the Root Cause
There’s a 99.9% chance that you don’t have an entire company full of people who aren’t putting in enough hours. In most situations, it should be pretty easy to determine who is taking the most time off, and see what work isn’t getting done. One approach is to gently take aside anyone taking unfair advantage of the policy and explain the situation rationally, because it’s actually hurting everyone. In addition to the direct problem of not getting their own work done, it can cause an atmosphere of resentment that damages the company culture you’ve worked so hard to build.
Clarify “Unlimited”
There used to be no speed limits on some rural highways, but that didn’t mean you wouldn’t get pulled over for driving recklessly. In that vein, you might modify unlimited to something like one of these suggestions shared in the Bureau Slack; open, flexible or even responsible. It’s a little more restrictive without seeming as rigid as traditional corporate policies (i.e., you know you missed earning 2.77 hours per pay period).
Be Transparent
One thing you don’t want to happen is for the feeling to grow around the office that different standards apply to different people. You need to be up front and honest with staff if productivity is being impacted by too much vacation time being taken (but don’t call out anyone), and that some changes are necessary to make sure the policy has the intended impact of giving everyone proper work/life balance. And on that note…
Get Organized
Your staff should take responsibility for the time off they are taking, by ensuring their tasks are covered and the necessary people are notified in advance whenever possible. Unlimited doesn’t mean it doesn’t require a little planning. Supervisors should work with team members scheduling time off to make sure critical tasks get done and multiple people with the same responsibilities aren’t gone at the same time. This is especially important if you’ve been hiring a lot to keep up with an increase in work.
One very important note to keep in mind. We’ve talked about this before, but remember that some people won’t take enough time off if it’s unlimited, and that can cause burnout that also impacts your work. Be mindful of your people’s needs and ensure they are encouraged to find a balance that works for them -- and the team.
This is a topic we’ll continue to keep an eye on, and talk more about with the community. Speaking of which, you have been great about encouraging one another to find what works best for each individual situation.