From Fortune:

A U.K.-based startup’s PTO policy of shutting down for a full week twice a year, with employees using none of their 35 days of vacation, raises eyebrows in the U.S. where the average worker only gets 11 days of paid time off a year. But European policies and productivity levels suggest otherwise. European workers are entitled to 20-25 days of vacation each year. The U.S., by contrast, offers workers no legal paid vacation entitlement at all. This results in a culture of presenteeism, leading to a third of U.S. workers feeling unable to take time off and one in four Americans rarely or never taking their full PTO allowance. However, when comparing productivity levels, countries that offer workers significantly more vacation days, are far more productive than the U.S. European employees tend to work fewer hours and tend to be more productive for it. Research shows taking time off can reduce rates of stress and absenteeism. Companies whose teams have moved to four-day working weeks report reduced burnout and increased revenues. Over three-quarters of U.S. workers have reported experiencing burnout, and U.S. employees are also amongst the most stressed in the world. Giving employees the option to work from home and offering flexible start and finish times can help, according to Gallup’s recent report. Norwegian company shutdowns can help with all of this, as they offer workers a more healthy work-life balance, which helps in reducing burnout and stress. Norwegian company shutdowns also don’t impact business productivity levels, as during the 4 weeks of “fellesferie,” productivity still surpasses U.S. levels. Every company is different and company shutdowns might not be suitable for all companies. Flexible working benefits can supplement PTO policies at companies that can’t offer bi-annual shutdowns to create the same healthy, thriving teams. Attitudes towards PTO and preconceptions around productivity need to change when staff feel unable to take time off and are burning out as a result. European approaches might offer some inspiration for business leaders in the U.S.



Read more: America is doing PTO wrong–and its burned-out workforce is less productive than the 11 nations that know how to take a break