Should I Let A Star Employee Take a 30-Day Vacation?
One of my best workers, J, wants to take a month off for a trip to Europe she planned before she started working with us.
J has been an amazing employee for the past seven months. Her attitude and commitment are exactly what I wish all my team members had.
However, her request presents a significant challenge, putting me in a difficult position.
I grew up in a traditional middle-class family where taking such a long break from work wasn’t even considered an option.
From a business point of view, this raises issues about keeping things running smoothly and what it might mean for the future.
Is it okay to have someone gone for a month and then just come back like nothing happened?
On the other hand, I believe in the importance of life experiences and personal growth—we have a very flexible, remote work setting because of this.
I’m all for doing what makes you happy as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone.
But what does it say to the rest of the team if I say yes? Is it okay to start thinking that month-long breaks are normal?
Supporting J could also show that we really care about our employees’ lives outside of work, which could make our team more motivated and loyal.
I’m stuck.
Should I let J take her 30-day trip to Europe, or not?
What do you think?
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