Want to beat work stress? Take some unhappy leaves
In a surprising move, a retail tycoon in China recently announced the introduction of unhappy leaves for his employees. This innovative policy allows workers to take time off when feeling unhappy or stressed, aiming to prioritise mental wellness at the workplace.
Yu Donglai, founder and chairman of Pang Dong Lai, announced that employees can request an additional 10 days of leave, stating “everyone has times when they’re not happy, so if you’re not happy, do not come to work.”
Startup founder Mitul Parekh sees the move as a potential game-changer. He says, “Employee well-being directly impacts productivity and creativity. Allowing individuals to take time off when they’re feeling unhappy shows a commitment to their mental health, which ultimately benefits both the employee and the company. However, for businesses that are time-bound, or operating on smaller teams, this might be difficult to implement practically.”
‘Unhappy leaves can help reduce health issues’
Bharati Nagpura, HR coach and professional, says, “We regularly see Gen Z professionals take long leaves because work stress leads to them eventually falling sick. Unhappy leaves can deal with the problem before it leads to serious health issues. However, this can also place additional pressure on remaining team members. Striking a balance between employees’ welfare and operational efficiency is the key challenge for such policies.”
Netizens’ take:
The news of unhappy leaves became a trending topic online, with some netizens viewing this as a progressive step, and others raising concerns about the potential abuse of the policy and its impact on the workflow. Yet others presented the reality that a few Indian companies hesitate to give sick leaves too.
