At first glance, you might be tempted to dismiss it as HR jargon – just another 'ism' that the modern employer is expected to care about and pay attention to. Think again.

The following examples show how leaveism has crept into too many workplaces.

• Li works 2-3 hours every Sunday evening to respond to emails that have arrived over the weekend, organise her work calendar and write a presentation that she has no chance of completing during her week of back-to-back meetings, emails and teleconferences.
• Mark has a persistent illness that he has been working through, against the advice of his doctor. He books a few days of annual leave in a week's time so he can recuperate. Mark usually works when sick because there is no-one to backfill his position. If he takes annual leave, he can at least plan ahead and minimise disruption to the workplace.
• Julia is in Noosa for two weeks with her family. There is a lot going on at work, so she brings her phone and laptop. Julia spends an hour or so each day dealing with 'urgent' work situations, and many more hours thinking about them. Her partner accuses her of being distant and distracted. On the way home she feels drained, as if she never had a holiday.

Li, Mark and Julia are all victims of leaveism, a phenomenon that we all know too well, but have only put a name to in recent times.

Dr Ian Hesketh and Professor Cary Cooper of the University of Manchester first coined the term in the April 2014 edition of Occupational Medicine.

They defined leaveism as employees:

1. Using allocated time off such as annual leave entitlements, flexi hours banked and re-rostered rest days to take time off when they are in fact unwell.
2. Taking work home that cannot be completed in normal working hours.
3. Working while on leave or holiday to catch up..

Leaveism in Australia

Research tells us that leaveism is alive and well in Australia, confirming what we already know from everyday conversations with family, friends and work colleagues.

In November 2019, the Australia Institute's Centre for Future Work found that employees across all industries worked on average 4.6 hours unpaid overtime per week, which was more than six weeks per employee per year. If Australian employers were handed the bill, it would have amounted to $81.5 billion in 2019 alone.

Gartner's Global Talent Monitor 1Q19 found that work-life balance was the third most common reason that an Australian worker resigns, beaten only by manager quality and lack of respect.

Many employers know that leaveism is a problem in their workplace, but few have systems in place to reduce the risk to employees' mental health and business profitability. Indeed, it is tempting for some to ignore the problem, as the short-term costs are disproportionally born by the employee and their family, not the employer.

Employers of choice act lawfully, ethically, and care about the long-term sustainability of their business model. Li, Mark and Julia's situations will inevitably lead to job dissatisfaction and possibly even mental injury. Either outcome will cause significant personal disruption and affect their employers, who must devote considerable time and resources to hiring new staff, dealing with poor team morale and backfilling absences.

Reducing the risk

If leaveism is happening in your business, here are five things you can do to reduce the risk:

1. Talk openly with your employees about the problem. A leaveism culture builds over time and is reinforced by unspoken yet well understood behaviours and norms. Breaking through it with honest and transparent communication is a powerful first step.
2. Use anonymity. Leaveism is a sensitive topic and your employees may not be prepared to discuss the issue openly. Surveys, mood trackers, free text boxes, focus groups and the like are a great way to understand the full extent of the problem.
3. Fix structural problems. If leaveism is due to employees simply not having the time to complete allocated work, you have a structural problem you must urgently fix. This may involve hiring more staff, saying 'no' to client requests, or providing employees with the support they need to work sustainably.
4. Fix cultural problems. Are employees firing out emails at all hours of the evening because everybody else is? Are those who leave on time seen as lacking dedication and not focussed on their career? These cultural norms can be changed quickly by leaders defining acceptable behaviour and practising what they preach.
5. Have courage. Leaveism is a challenging problem that has infiltrated our modern way of working. Changing things for the better can be difficult for employers and for us individually as employees. If you care about working safely and sustainably, or running a dynamic and profitable business, start a conversation about leaveism today.

Mental Health Essentials

Mental Health Essentials is a free training and consulting program for small and medium sized businesses who employ young workers and want to create mentally healthy workplaces.

This program is supported by WorkSafe Victoria through the WorkWell Mental Health Improvement Fund.

You can find out more about Mental Health Essentials and register your interest by visiting www.victorianchamber.com.au/mental-health-essentials, emailing us at mhe@victorianchamber.com.au or speaking with one of our consultants on (03) 8662 5333.

Useful links

1. Mental health: Safety basics, WorkSafe Victoria
2. Work-related psychological health and safety: A systematic approach to meeting your duties, Safe Work Australia