Dr Jarrod Haar: Massey University professor of management on the new study revealing half of Kiwis aren't disconnecting from work

The summer holidays are getting closer, meaning more Kiwis will be leaving their offices for breaks - but research shows they might not fully disconnect.

New research shows fewer than half of New Zealand workers are fully disconnecting from the job when they’re on holiday, putting them at risk of burnout.

Massey University professor of management Dr Jarrod Haar says it's better for workers to make the most of their time off.

"It is indicative, I think, of our modern day working society that it is just so easy to check your work emails on your smartphone, even down on the beach...and that has repercussions for our wellbeing."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News Talks.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
EDB. I walked into work this morning, and then the
lobby there's a Christmas tree. It's the sixteenth of November.
I shouldn't be surprised, so obviously here it comes. Christmas.
Holidays are fast approaching and this is where many New
Zealanders get out of the office, kickback and relax. But
do they. According to a new study, we're not all
that good at leaving work behind when we're on holiday.

(00:34):
Over half of us do not fully disconnect when we
go on annual leave. We're still thinking, thinking, thinking about
the work all the time. We're not really going to
another place. And there's even weird figures in there as well,
including the number of people who just don't take holidays
at all. So to talk us through the findings of
this survey, the guy who did it, Massi University Professor

(00:55):
of Management, doctor Jared Hard joins me. Now, Jared, good
morning to you. Kiought a good morning. Okay, so we
do not disconnect that surprise you.

Speaker 3 (01:06):
I guess it doesn't surprise me. Sadly, I have to say,
I wish we were so there's I mean, as you said,
slightly less than half are totally disconnecting. Now, the people
that basically work while on holiday, which does seem to
be an oxymoron, is quite low at just under seven

(01:27):
and a half percent, but it is indicative I think
of our modern day working society that it is just
so easy to check your work emails on your smartphone
even down the beach. Right you might not be able
to see the screen well, but and so unfortunately, you know,
and that has repercussions for our well being.

Speaker 2 (01:49):
I was going to say, is there any real problem
with that? Because work actually defines at least fifty percent
of our life. Then you've got family, and you've got
your own own leisure activities, but work is very important.
And should we just if we're taking our four or
five weeks if we're lucky, you know, or three weeks
in taking that time, is it better to actually somewhat

(02:11):
disconnect but still keep our mind on the ball.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
No.

Speaker 3 (02:15):
I think it is totally fine if you can to disconnect.
The wellbeing advantages are quite clear. I think if you're
if you're the kind of person and this will be
an individual difference thing. If you like oh, I'm just
going to check my email every odd day or something
like that. I totally respect that and think that's totally fine.
But there are people saying, basically, I took a week's leave,

(02:37):
I opened up my laptop and I did eight hours
of work and asked just.

Speaker 2 (02:42):
Kind of like, yeah, one is to wonder why you
took the leave. Then right, all right, well here we
go talking about leave. Thirty six percent of the people
you surveyed had taken one week or less in the year.
Eleven point six percent had taken no leave at all.
Now my question is what do you put that down to. Now,
there are some people with business has small, small enterprises

(03:03):
where they just feel that they can't they feel to
do that. But I also think there's an awful lot
of people who just love their job.

Speaker 3 (03:12):
Cool. Yeah, I don't know if the data says there's
a whole that they're all loving their job.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
I think a lot of it.

Speaker 3 (03:17):
Maybe people are just stockpiling at all for the Christmas holidays,
so they're probably going, yes, I've finally made it to
you know, the week before Christmas, and I've got the
next five weeks off because I've saved all my holidays
and all those kind of public holidays going on there,
And again I think that's totally fine. We do get

(03:39):
quite a few days paid leave throughout the year, so
I think again those might be quite you know, strategic people,
although there is you know, there's ten percent who have
used all of their leave. Now they maybe they're you know,
those in the hospitality time who just think, actually, you know,

(04:00):
December January's the busiest time of the year for me
and there is no leave.

Speaker 2 (04:04):
So if who should worry about this? That this is
personal responsibility, you know, you know what makes you feel good,
you know what makes you feel right? Or should employers
be worried when they realize that they've got some real
workaholics there who are not taking any leave it all,
or only one week of leave, and they're not disconnecting
at all, and not they don't have a balance.

Speaker 3 (04:26):
Yeah, I think so. I think I think there is
a play here from both the organization and the individual.

Speaker 2 (04:33):
The data would suggest it's.

Speaker 3 (04:35):
More the individual than the organization. So maybe the organization
should be saying, hey, I'm reminding you all, we've got
Christmas break coming up. We're closed for two or three weeks.
Please disconnect, recharge your better, you know. And if somebody
is still checking their emails because that's what they like
to do, that's not a problem, right because you're just thinking,

(04:56):
I can't do anything about those you know, you know,
and maybe the workaholics maybe they you know, they're just
wired that way. But trying to encourage everybody else to say, hey,
b you know, be one who might check his odd
you know, his or her email, you know, once or

(05:16):
twice for the week, not not five times, you know,
an hour or something.

Speaker 2 (05:21):
Good advice and enjoy your holiday. Massive University Professor of
Management doctor Jared.

Speaker 1 (05:27):
For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudkin. Listen
live to News Talks it Be from nine am Sunday,
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