When I worked as a journalist at The Economist, we had a mandatory five weeks' worth of annual holiday. By which I mean you had to take it; you could neither roll it over nor forfeit the leave. And like many other Americans in such a situation, I usually ended up getting a note from my boss explaining that I would be taking the entire month of December off.
Journalists like to write opinion pieces complaining about the stingy holiday policies of US employers, but the policies do not matter that much, at least for the managerial class, because people do not take what their companies give them.
Over time, I have come to see the wisdom of The Economist's policy.
Employers should not just give their employees holiday days; they should force them to actually leave the office and go on holiday.
No work email, no conference calls, no taking a few papers along with you to read. It is not just good for the employees, but it’s also good for the company.
I do not really need to extol the benefits to an employee of a few days off, but I will say that everyone needs to take a break. Over time I have noticed that if I go too long between holidays — more than about three months — I start to feel like I am forcing it, plodding through the day’s stories rather than actually attacking something I am interested in.
That is a pretty common experience among the people I know. Periodically, you have to stop and give the well a chance to refill. I do not think it is an accident that creative people frequently report having breakthroughs after they’d stopped working for a bit and started thinking about something else.
What I am talking about is not the same as reducing stress levels; that is an oft-supposed benefit of time off that does not actually seem to be true. But while monomaniacal focus is a powerful tool it is one that, in my experience, carries sharply diminishing marginal returns. You get tunnel vision, and you miss things that might have occurred to you if you’d stepped outside your office once in a while.
Of course, not every job is a creative tour de force. So here’s the other reason companies should make people take some leave: Employees who never leave the office are dangerous for the company.
In 2011, Credit Suisse decided to require its traders to go on two consecutive weeks of annual leave without access to their computers. This was not because of its tender solicitation for the mental health of the company’s employees. Rather, it figured this would make it easier to catch rogue traders. Two weeks is a long time in the financial markets, and the mandatory leave provides time for 1) unlicensed trading strategies to fall apart or 2) auditors to comb through the portfolio, looking for things that shouldn’t be there.
But you aren’t running a trading floor, you say? Of course you aren’t. However, even the most upstanding, outstanding employee should not be so vital to your firm’s operations that you cannot afford to let them go for a week or two. What if this person leaves the firm? What if they are killed in a car crash? Periodically preparing to do without this person means that if and when they do depart, you will not be plunged into an instant crisis.
You may well want to make exceptions for true emergencies — say a major client is arrested or threatens to leave the company. But these exceptions should be grudgingly granted only under truly extraordinary circumstances. Otherwise take their phone, turn off their VPN connection and tell them to get the heck out of here and not come back without some tan lines.
Megan McArdle is a Bloomberg View columnist who writes on economics, business and public policy. She is the author of The Up Side of Down.
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Jawan
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What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Company%20Profile
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Women%E2%80%99s%20T20%20World%20Cup%20Qualifier
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Neil Thomson – THE BIO
Family: I am happily married to my wife Liz and we have two children together.
Favourite music: Rock music. I started at a young age due to my father’s influence. He played in an Indian rock band The Flintstones who were once asked by Apple Records to fly over to England to perform there.
Favourite book: I constantly find myself reading The Bible.
Favourite film: The Greatest Showman.
Favourite holiday destination: I love visiting Melbourne as I have family there and it’s a wonderful place. New York at Christmas is also magical.
Favourite food: I went to boarding school so I like any cuisine really.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company%20profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
Company%20Profile
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The low down on MPS
What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets