Why do employees feel guilty about taking leave?

Imposter syndrome?

Some feel guilty even after performing more than average at work. So, why do employees feel guilty about taking leave, even sick leave? It may be because they feel they do not deserve the progress in their careers, according to experts.

“It's nothing but imposter syndrome,” Dr Sagar Mundada, Consultant Psychiatrist, Healthspring Mumbai, a diagnostic firm, told Moneycontrol. “Employees usually tend not to take leave to deliver more at the workplace, resulting in burnout.”

Anand Dewan, Group CEO of BYLD Group, a consultancy firm, feels that when employees believe that going to work every day amounts to survival both psychologically and physically, taking paid leave leads to stress. “And, more importantly, fear.”

Putting your ‘out of work' life low on the priority list?

Finny Jose, CEO of Neofam, a fintech firm, observes that employees feel obligated to always prioritise their work and pressured to prove their loyalty. Taking time off feels like it goes against this goal. And anything unrelated to work is seen as a waste of time and effort.

“One may contemplate a lot and experience stress before requesting time off to attend a family function, because it feels like that is optional and office work is mandatory,” says Jose. Fallout of a toxic work culture?

“When are you going on your next leave?” Mundada, who has worked with many professionals in the corporate world, says there are certain superiors for whom taunting becomes a habit due to their sadistic nature.

“Because of these bad managers, availing leave becomes a challenge for employees, who try their best to avoid a poor experience with their reporting managers,” he adds.

Moreover, a sizable section of employees feels guilt about taking paid leave due to preconceived notions. “There is also a degree of insecurity that some employees face in the absence of a strong culture,” says Sanjay Shetty, a director at staffing company Randstad India.

To tackle the unwarranted guilt, experts say employees need to first raise their self-esteem. They need to unconditionally accept and acknowledge that they deserve growth and rewards at the workplace earned by their hard work. “Hence, everyone needs a break,” Mundada says.

Then, they should realise that instead of looking at days worked as a marker of their contribution to the organisation (and their worth in the job market), they should focus on the outcomes they achieve for their employer, says Karan Jain, Co-Founder, HROne.

“This is also the foundation to taking truly stress-free vacations, where employees can take their minds off what’s happening at work, and enjoy their leave to the fullest, with zero guilt,” he adds.

For results to follow, Dewan of BYLD Group believes creating a strong handover process is essential. It’s a process to let your colleagues know what to do in your absence. “This will minimise things being neglected while you are away, enabling the business to continue.”

In the case of a sadistic boss, you always have the choice to confront your manager, directly or indirectly, over the taunts about taking leave, says Mundada. “But remember to justify your performance at work,” he adds.

And, employees need to always stay away from co-workers who make them feel guilty about taking paid leave, to keep their morale up, as per experts.

“Remember, work-life balance is key to success in today's time. People just don't say it out loud,” says Neofam’s Jose.