Burnout is real.
For the last few years employees have shared their woes about long hours in the office, poor work-life balance and declining mental wellness as a result.
The American Psychology Association’s 2021 Work and Well-being Survey of 1,501 U.S. adult workers found that 79% of employees reported work-related stress. Additionally, 3 in 5 employees reported negative impacts of work-related stress, including lack of interest, motivation, or energy (26%) and lack of effort at work (19%). Nearly 40% also shared cognitive weariness, reported emotional exhaustion, and physical fatigue.
Nike, Inc., took note.
For the second consecutive year, they announced the closure of its global corporate office from August 15-19 for “Well-Being Week,” for Nike employees to “relax and recharge.”
“We first introduced Well-Being Week last year. We knew it would be impactful, but I was blown away by the feedback from our teammates – they loved being able to take time off together as a team,” from Monique Matheson, EVP, chief HR officer, Nike, Inc.
In a LinkedIn post last week, Matheson added, “Because everyone was away at the same time, teammates said they could unplug – really unplug, without worrying about what was happening back at the office or getting anxiety about the emails piling up. And because we could all truly disconnect, our time away was more restorative. That’s certainly what I experienced. So, we’re bringing Well-Being Week back! In addition to our corporate offices, we’re also closing our Air MI locations next week, and we’re giving teammates in our retail stores and distribution centers a week’s worth of paid Well-Being Days off they can use when it’s convenient for them. Our teammates work so hard – this is one way we can show our appreciation and support their well-being. 🙏”