Vacation effect lasts up to 43 days

Psychological detachment is strongest factor for employee´s well-being

 

 

 

 

The vacation effect is not only measurable during the vacation per se, but prior to it (anticipation) and particularly afterwards: up to 43 days after having returned to the working place more engagement by employees is being delivered. Strongest factor for well-being due to vacation is the psychological detachment which means not to think about the job and its challenges and to be unreachable for a certain period of time at least. Additionally physical activities are also proven to be important triggers in that area. Hence, if vacation should be better spent abroad or at home remains pretty unclear according to the outcomes of a meta-analysis where 32 international studies have been examined.

Basically this US-American paper can be read as an appeal for US-American authorities and companies alike. To revise their system of only max. 19 nationally mandated vacation days.

Grant/Buchanan”Shockley, “I Need a Vacation: A Meta-Analysis of Vacation an Employee Well-Being”, in: Journal of Applied Psychology,2025, Vol. 110., Nr. 7, 887-905.

 

From the practice:

Undisputedly we do have a way better understanding for employee vacation – for its importance and its benefits. Still I´d like to join the appeal for taking vacation as one of the best form of getting well-being back and like to address top managers and particularly owners and self-imployed ones.

Correct: it is a major challenge to leave the job, orders and projects, back for days let alone weeks if you are paid a lot for leadership & responsibility. Especially if times are as difficult as now.

Still I recommend to give this psychological detachment a try – at least for one day or another unless your organisation is currently going through its worst time ever.

No client, no business partner and finally also no employee wants to deal with exhausted and therefore thin-skinned and error-prone managers or consultants.