Act

Sofokus – Lifesaver Vacation

Employees
41

Sofokus Lifesaver is a paid one-week vacation to boost the energy levels and work-life balance of our employees. The vacation is part of our Better Monday® concept and is still in its piloting stage, but great results can already be reported.

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Purpose

The past year amidst Covid has taken its toll on each of us, and working solely from home might have shifted our work-life balance somewhat off track. To fight the pandemic fatigue and boost our energy levels, we at Sofokus decided to grant every employee an additional paid one-week vacation.

Results

The Sofokus Lifesaver vacation is still at its pilot stage, but great results can already be reported. Employees who have taken their Lifesaver vacation tell they have returned to work feeling a lot more energised and recharged. Even the awareness of having the opportunity to take a week long break if needed has reduced the feeling of stress and tiredness. These types of acts reduce significantly the risk of burnouts and sick leaves, enable our employees to enjoy what they do, and help them stay healthily in work-life for as long as they want.

Implementation

The Sofokus Lifesaver vacation can be spent whenever one feels like it. The only rule is that the week needs to be strictly used on fun and relaxation, not for renovating, studying, or anything stressful.

The Sofokus Lifesaver vacation is still at its pilot stage, but great results can already be reported. Employees who have taken their Lifesaver vacation tell they have returned to work feeling a lot more energised and recharged. Even the awareness of having the opportunity to take a week long break if needed has reduced the feeling of stress and tiredness. These types of acts reduce significantly the risk of burnouts and sick leaves, enable our employees to enjoy what they do, and help them stay healthily in work-life for as long as they want.

Milla Heikkilä, Chief Happiness Officer, Sofokus
Impact
Excitement
Replicability
Managing Director - Sustainability Transformation at Solutions4Impact
Corina
Project Director, Sustainable Everyday Life at Sitra
Markus Terho
Review

I believe this is a great support to the employees in these hard times due to the pandemics. It's mostly a goodwill gesture that shows that the company's management really cares about its employees.
The impact foreseen is great but I must consider replicability as a challenge especially for other companies who have not adopted procedures for the well-being of their employees, yet. Once they have it, it would be easier to replicate.

About Corina
I am a sustainability business expert at the crossroad of technology, innovation, and partnership, with the focus on helping companies transform their sustainability strategies, advance SDG's implementation, and share the common B Corp business philosophy. I am part of EIT Climate KIC Network of Coaches and a mentor at the Global Women Network for Energy Transition programs.
Review

Offering an additional paid vacation week that is directed to increase employee well-being and relaxation is an easy and fast way to support employee work-life balance. This planet act is highly scalable to all types of organizations but requires top leadership support and human resources expertise.

About Markus
A corporate responsibility veteran, with over two decades in the industry. He has held several notable positions, among them, he has served as the global sustainability chief at Nokia. There he has managed global corporate responsibility activities, environmental and social responsibility, social investment portfolios as well as disaster relief and charity donations.

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