Dating app Bumble has formed accountability buddies in its offices to encourage workers to take time off, helping reduce the stress of wanting to work during paid time off.
Key details
A Bumble vice president is encouraging her staff to have accountability buddies to help them hit a minimum of time off.
Speaking with CNBC’s show Make It, VP of Operations Priti Joshi says coworkers and CEOs ought to support each other’s work, helping them balance workload so that paid time off can be focused on taking care of themselves.
“There will inevitably be urgent things that show up at work and make it feel like an inconvenient time to take off. You might feel compelled to cancel your PTO. That’s when it’s important to have that person who holds you accountable to take your time off. They can be the little angel sitting on your shoulder reminding you it’s important and good to take time away from the office,” says Joshi.
Bumble’s policies officially offer unlimited PTO, and Joshi encourages her employees to take a minimum of 15 to 25 days off, in addition to work holidays, maternity leave, sick days, and bereavement.
Why it’s important
Bumble is a leading voice for advocating the importance of vacation time. The company made news last year instituted a permanent week-long vacation once a year for all 700 of its employees, as a way of curbing burnout after the pandemic. It also instituted its unlimited PTO policy.
“Take as much time off as you can. The work will be there when you get back. I would also ask myself: What are you worried about? And if you are worried about something, how can you put in the support mechanisms at work to help you not worry about taking time off?” says Joshi.
Other companies have followed similar trajectories and offered similar benefits. Netflix started offering a “No Vacation Policy” several years ago, while Songkick, Glassdoor, and Virgin Group have also instituted unlimited PTO, according to Yahoo Finance.
Leave benefits are one of the most attractive perks for younger employees according to The Balance Careers, saying they “are looking for paid time off, vacation, and health care for a budding family.”
