Bouncing Back

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to take a few weeks or months off from your day-to-day job grind? Is it possible the Europeans might know something we Yanks haven't thought of?

It's now the month of August, and many people are taking their annual vacations at a national park, beach resort or visiting family. Most of these individuals and families will take only one week off -- stuffing a ton of vacation activities into a minimal amount of time -- and then feel compelled to rush back to their jobs. While on these rushed vacations, many will still worry about being away from their job and unavailable to handle the day-to-day crises that will inevitably emerge.



Many of us feel at risk when we take time away from our careers -- perhaps a major account will blow up and take their business elsewhere; maybe an essential system or process will break down that cannot be repaired without us; or worst of all, the boss will become unhappy about these problems and decide we're not so valuable after all! I'm certain I'm not the only employee to ever feel this stress during my so-called vacation!

Which brings me to the Europeans. As August rolls around each year, I inevitably remember my German suppliers giving me advanced notice each July for their upcoming month-long company-wide shutdown. In Europe, it's common for companies to close their doors (to the greatest extent possible) for the entire month of August. All employees are give a full month of paid vacation! This undoubtedly makes American business people shudder at the sheer cost of such non-productivity.

But let's dig a little deeper and evaluate the more subtle productivity aspects of a company-wide shutdown and see how such a closure could be beneficial from a business point of view. The most obvious benefit would be the return of well-rested and re-energized employees when the company starts up again. These employees would have an extended period of rest and rejuvenation, without worrying their absence might be a source of stress for their peers and superiors. On the other side of this point, there would be no peers or superiors left high and dry without the unique skills or knowledge held by the vacationing employee.

From a cost standpoint, a company-wide shutdown also offers some benefits to the balance sheet. The annual cost of facility overhead, utilities and maintenance would be cut by one-twelfth as a result of the month-long company closure. And there would be no accounting problem associated with employees racking up extensive balances of vacation credits, a problem for American companies who have difficulty removing these liabilities from their books. [Could this be because Amercian companies make it so difficult for employees to use all of their vacation time?]

As for employees, let's talk about the significant potential gains they accrue from a company-wide closing. I truly loved my corporate career, and I always enjoyed working. Yet their were times I wished my life wasn't so restricted -- home to work, work to home, home, work, home, work, and so on without end! For example, what if I wanted to explore Australia or volunteer to help the poor in South America? Is it absolutely necessary such life experiences be closed to most working Americans as a result of a limited two week period of vacation each year? Do we really need to narrow our lives so much in order to earn the money to survive?

Yes, I know European companies are often less efficient and have higher costs than their American counterparts. But we should know what we have sacrificed for the level of productivity and profits garnered by American business. Except for the very wealthy, most of us can never dream of experiencing other parts of our world in depth -- whether across town or across the globe -- because we are chained to our jobs. And because the American work ethic holds little regard for the value of experiencing breadth and depth in our lives. Perhaps the European lifestyle and business model offers us an insight into what a well-rounded life should look like.