The world has changed in more strategies than one in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The want to focus on the mental and physical well-being of people today is becoming addressed by government agencies and private organisations across the world. In a striking instance of this, sneaker and apparel giant Nike has awarded employees at its head workplace in Oregon a week’s break ahead of they return to the workplace in September.
The week away from work is aimed at providing staff an chance to “destress”. Explaining the intent behind the initiative, Matt Marrazzo, Nike’s Senior Manager of Global Marketing Science, stated that it was the “right thing to do.”
In a post shared on LinkedIn, Mr Marrazzo wrote, “In just about an hour, teams at Nike will start closing their laptops for our regular Summer Friday hours. But today is extra special. Nike HQ is also powering down for a full week off starting next Monday.”
“Our senior leaders are all sending a clear message: Take the time to unwind, destress and spend time with your loved ones. Do not work,” Mr Marrazzo added.
He stated that it was the want of the hour, provided that we have all lived by means of a “traumatic event”. “This past year has been rough – we’re all human and living through a traumatic event! – but I’m hopeful that the empathy and grace we continue to show our teammates will have a positive impact on the culture of work moving forward,” Mr Marrazzo stated.
“It’s not just a “week off” for the team… It’s an acknowledgement that we can prioritise mental health and still get work done,” he stated at the finish of the note, “Support your people. It’s good business but it’s also the right thing to do.”
The initiative was applauded by people today on the platform. One user by the name Larissa Green stated, “We hope this extends to the production teams worldwide as well, but an incredibly necessary and strong first leadership step to being radically human and allowing business to flow at the pace of life.”
Earlier, Bumble, the on the internet dating application, granted 700 people today a week off to destress and stop burnout. LinkedIn, as well, granted its staff time off for a week in April for their wellness.