As the year winds down, inboxes quiet, meetings slow, and out-of-office replies start to stack up. It’s tempting to see the holiday lull as a pause in productivity but in reality, it’s something much more powerful.
Rest isn’t a luxury. It’s a business need.
In today’s always-on world, where Slack pings blur into dinner hours and weekends disappear into “just one more email,” genuine disconnection is rare. That’s why the end of the year with its built-in opportunity to reset matters more than ever. For leaders looking to build resilient, high-performing teams, how you treat holidays says a lot about how you treat your people.
And that, in turn, affects how your people show up in January.
Burnout is a Barrier to Growth.
According to Gallup, 76% of employees experience burnout at least sometimes, and nearly 1 in 4 feel burned out very often or always. That’s not just an HR issue it’s a business roadblock.
Burned-out employees make slower decisions, collaborate less effectively, and are 63% more likely to take a sick day. They’re also significantly more likely to be actively disengaged or looking for a new role.
The bottom line: when your people are running on fumes, your business starts to stall.
Why Holidays Matter More Than Ever (Especially Now)
The rise of remote and hybrid work has brought flexibility but also blurred boundaries. Many employees now carry the mental weight of work well beyond 9 to 5. And unless leaders intentionally encourage time off, even the holidays become just another week of half-working from home.
Here’s what a real break can do for your team:
- Increased retention: Employees who feel trusted to take time off without guilt are more likely to stay long-term.
- Sharper thinking: Studies show that stepping away from routine tasks boosts creative problem-solving and innovation.
- Stronger relationships: Rested employees communicate better, show more patience, and build deeper team trust.
- Better leadership decisions: Clarity doesn’t come from constant motion. It comes from pause and perspective.
If You’re a Manager, Lead the Disconnect
The most effective rest isn’t just approved it’s modeled.
When leaders set the tone by fully unplugging during holidays, it gives permission for others to do the same. That means:
- Turning off notifications (and meaning it)
- Avoiding emails that say “no need to reply” just don’t send them
- Encouraging teammates to share when they’re offline and respecting that time
- Planning workloads so people aren’t logging off worried about what’s waiting on January 2nd
Remember, your team can only show up refreshed if they truly got to rest.
Rest Fuels Better Hiring, Too
There’s another hidden benefit to downtime that’s especially relevant to hiring teams: decision-making.
When managers and recruiters return from a real break, they often come back with a renewed sense of clarity about what (and who) they need. They’re less reactive. More strategic. And more in tune with how their current team is functioning and where the real gaps are.
Rest doesn’t just reset energy. It resets perspective. And that makes for sharper hires, better interviews, and fewer regrets.
The Best Business Plan for January? A Break in December.
Before the New Year planning, before the big Q1 kickoff decks take a moment. Look around. Check in with your team, your peers, and yourself.
Is everyone pushing through just to get to the holidays? Or are you actually designing a year-end experience that prioritizes recovery?
The most resilient teams aren’t the ones that go the longest without pausing. They’re the ones that learn when to stop, reflect, and refuel so when it’s time to run again, they’re ready.
So this December, make “rest” part of the strategy. Let the quiet be part of your growth story. It might just be the smartest business move you make all year.
