Another day, another emerging trend in the workplace—hush holidays. As a business owner, you may be understandably concerned about this new level of potential “deceit” from your employees. So this time, let’s look at the rising trend of hush holidays, explore the implications, and provide actionable strategies to foster trust and collaboration within your micro business.
Understanding Hush Holidays
Hush holidays, a term reportedly coined by Glassdoor, describe a situation where employees work remotely from different locations without their employer’s knowledge. This trend has gained traction with the increasing acceptance of remote work, facilitated by stable internet connections and enhanced productivity.
Yet there is another way of looking at the trend as it stems from employees’ needs for flexibility, work-life integration and autonomy. When the world had to be resilient and needed to adapt to a new way of working, it amplified the normalisation of remote work. The fact that a worker has found a way to maintain if not improve their work output while enjoying a taste of la dolce vita, is that really a problem or ingenious thinking?
Redefining the Rules for Transparency
HouseRules is a way of removing what is perceived as obstacles by letting go of the flawed customs of business and creating rules in the company that primarily guide and assist the internal community. Rules don’t have to be restrictive and if there is one thing to take from the hush holiday trend, it’s the demonstration of employees wanting to contribute while having that autonomy of their life.
Introducing structure in your company through policies and procedures, is an opportunity to enabling employee autonomy within guided principles, building mutual trust and therefore increasing transparency.
Balancing Trust and Autonomy: The Need-to-Know Basis
Whilst executives enjoy autonomy at the upper tiers of an organisation, the same cannot necessarily be said as you move down the chain. One executive can boast that they work on a need-to-know basis and will continue to do so, raising questions about transparency and trust across the entire workforce.
This calls for careful consideration of the balance between trust and autonomy. It’s time to review your policies and procedures to ensure they support all individuals in the internal community.
Don't let misaligned policies disrupt your business in the "ask for forgiveness" era
Book a Humming Session today – a one-hour power session to get your workplace policies and internal community humming in harmony.
During this focused session, we’ll dive deep into gaining clarity on your policies, procedures, and team dynamics to foster an environment of trust, accountability and flexibility.
Together, we’ll identify areas for improvement and explore strategies to align your rules with modern workforce realities.
Relying on outdated policies is a ticking time bomb that can shatter at the most inopportune moment.
Don’t settle for generic templates. Craft your own human-centric HouseRules tailored to your company’s unique vision and values.
Take the first step towards getting your business house in order – no strings attached, just valuable insights.
“Making the most of every opportunity is a big priority for many people, more than ever before..."
Time to get your house in order
Don’t let hush holidays and lack of transparency disrupt your operations. Schedule a commitment-free Sip & Chat with The Ethical Strategist today.
Guiding you to understand the emerging trends, assess your current policies, and explore tailored solutions to foster a culture of trust, flexibility, and accountability within your business.
40%
Employees discovered working outside their home/country
46%
Declining confidence for HR knowing where workers are.
56%
Extremely likely to go on a hush holiday.
36%
Have already planned a hush holiday!
The Trending "Ask for Forgiveness" Policy
The New Normal Mindset
In the face of disruptions like the Great Resignation, persistent talent shortages, and the rapid shift to remote work, a new mindset has taken hold among many employees. The “ask for forgiveness, not permission” policy. With fewer clear boundaries and guidelines surrounding flexible work, some employees have embraced taking actions first, like working remotely from destinations unknown to their employers, and dealing with the fallout later if needed.
Risks for Employers
While this approach allows individuals to steer uncertainty and capitalise on newfound mobility, it presents significant risks for employers. From potential tax and legal compliance issues to data security breaches and the erosion of trust. The “ask for forgiveness” attitude can undermine a company’s stability and integrity when left unchecked.
When Restrictions Backfire
At the same time, knee-jerk decisions and behaviour can prove counterproductive if employee productivity and engagement are better than life before the “new norm”. When staff feel their needs for flexibility and autonomy are unheard, taking the path of least resistance can seem a justifiable choice, especially if existing policies are non-existent, vague or never enforced.
Finding the Right Balance
The situation calls for a balanced approach. One that guides accountability while acknowledging the modern workplace realities driving this trend. Rather than clamping down, it may be time for employers to reexamine their policies through a human-centric lens and cultivate an environment of mutual trust.
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Unveiling the Potential Risks of Hush Holidays
- potential tax implications,
- security breaches,
- non-compliance with regulations, and
- the possible impact on employee rights and labour laws.
Acknowledging and tackling these potential dangers is crucial to protect your company.
The Importance of Clear Expectations
Don't Let Hush Holidays Catch You Unprepared
With remote working and desires for more autonomy on the rise, now is the time to ensure your workplace policies foster transparency and trust. You can start with a “Dust Off” review to get ahead of emerging trends like hush holidays.
During this focused 60-minute session, we’ll look into your current policy, procedures, and practices. Together, we’ll identify potential blindspots and explore processes to align your rules with the realities of the modern, flexible workforce.
Within 5 days, you’ll receive a detailed report with actionable recommendations to improve workplace accountability and flexibility. Don’t let concerns around hush holidays linger – take control with visibility into your operations.
The Cost of Outdated Policies
Stop relying on outdated practices or worse – simply chancing it on luck, hoping the issue will disappear. From legal risks to disengaged employees, the impacts of inflexible, non-transparent policies are severe.
Consider the “Dust Off” as the first step to taking control and laying down your HouseRules. An invaluable and objective second opinion to proactively address challenges before they escalate. Ensure your policies, processes and most importantly, your internal community, are aligned and ready for the future of work.
Don’t ignore emerging trends – maintaining the status quo will no longer be an option once you have clarity on the importance of HouseRules and how they feed into the success of your business.
Book your review today and embrace the path of accountability and trust.
As the work landscape rapidly evolves, it is crucial not to overlook planning for the future. By taking proactive steps, you can navigate the challenges posed by hush holidays, mitigate potential liabilities, and foster a culture of trust, collaboration, and success within your business. Explore the website for further guidance on addressing hush holidays and creating a thriving, interdependent internal community.
As always, time is precious, so don’t mull over actions you know need to be taken too long. Book a Sip & Chat to talk through how we can work together. Building a trusted internal community is good business sense. Don’t procrastinate for too long. I’d hate for you to miss out.
