How benefit managers can help employees disconnect during the holidays

• Key Insight: Learn how reframing holiday leave can materially improve retention and employee focus.
• What's at Stake: Unmanaged holiday burnout could erode productivity, creativity, and talent competitiveness.
• Supporting Data: EAP and therapy-app adoption rising among employers, signaling increased mental-health investment.
• Source: Bullets generated by AI with editorial review

As the year winds down, many employees struggle to truly disconnect, even during the holidays. 

End-of-year deadlines, staffing gaps and the always-on nature of digital work make it difficult for workers to step away without guilt or anxiety. Yet meaningful time off is more than a seasonal perk — it's a critical reset that supports mental health, reduces burnout and helps employees return in the new year more focused and engaged. 

For benefit managers, the holiday season presents a timely opportunity to reinforce the importance of rest and model healthier boundaries around work. When organizations actively encourage time off — rather than quietly rewarding constant availability — employees are more likely to use their benefits and disconnect without fear of falling behind. 

"The stigma exists because most companies accidentally create cultures where taking time off feels risky," Amy Spurling, founder and chief executive of the Boston-based employee benefits reimbursement platform Compt, previously told EBN. "I've watched employees postpone vacations because they're terrified of what they'll return to. Or worse, that their absence will prove they're not essential."

Read more: 75% of employees feel guilty over taking time off

Clear communication around holiday expectations, coverage plans, and response-time norms can remove ambiguity and ease stress. Paired with benefits that support mental well-being, these practices help transform holiday leave from a checkbox into a restorative experience.

Lead by example

Encouraging leaders to schedule delayed email sends or set out-of-office messages normalizes time away and reduces pressure to stay online. Promoting mental health benefits — such as EAPs, therapy apps or mindfulness platforms — ahead of the holidays ensures employees know where to turn if stress peaks. 

Employers can also consider "quiet days" between holidays, limited-meeting weeks, or companywide shutdowns where feasible, giving employees protected time to rest without worrying about missed messages.

Read more: EBN's best of 2025: How employers are evolving wellness benefits

Set digital boundaries

Providing employees with simple resources can empower them to make the most of their time off. Share guidance on setting digital boundaries, such as disabling work notifications or creating transition rituals before and after vacation. Offer manager toolkits with conversation starters to help teams plan coverage and workloads in advance. By pairing clear expectations with supportive benefits and resources, HR and benefit leaders can help employees step away with confidence — and return in January recharged, resilient and ready for the year ahead.

"An unhappy workforce leads to less productivity, fewer creative ideas and less effective teamwork," Peter Duris, the CEO and co-founder of Kickresume, an AI-based career tool, previously told EBN. "Businesses and their employees, as well as their clients and customers, all benefit when team members are well-rested and have a good work-life balance." 

Read more about shutting down during the holiday season, and setting better boundaries in 2026: 

• This holiday season, give employees the gift of flexibility
• Benefits to beat seasonal depression to implement now
• These low-cost benefits help employees de-stress
• EBN's best of 2025: How employers are evolving wellness benefits