?Happy Holidays,? Now Back to Work

Are reindeer still grazing in your break room? Did Santa decide to plop down on the office couch?

Accountemps Inc. of Fayetteville says getting employees back on track after the holiday break can be a must for productivity.

In a recent survey conducted by the firm’s parent company, Robert Half International Inc. of Menlo Park, Calif., executives said it takes the average employee 1.5 days to return to normal productivity levels following a vacation.

The poll includes responses from 150 executives with the nation’s 1,000 largest companies. Survey respondents were asked, “On average, how many days does it take a typical employee to return to normal productivity levels following a vacation?”

Supha Vandiver, division director of Accountemps Inc.’s branch office in Fayetteville, said getting organized before the break is the key to heading off problems.

“People at every level of the company can be overwhelmed returning to the office after vacation,” Vandiver said. “If you are not focused upon your return, and instead dwell on the previous days you spent on vacation, then several things may happen.”

Vandiver said the following problems may result from employees who have holidayitis:

• Negative effect on others’ productivity — Talking extensively to a colleague about your trip, for example, causes two people to be unproductive, and may also disturb others in nearby cubicles.

• Negative impression on the boss — Taking too long to hit the ground running could indicate to your boss that you are still on vacation.

Vandiver said bosses should “say something” if an employee’s behavior is inappropriate or productivity appears to be low.

Other suggestions from RHI include reworking voice message greetings and allowing for at least one day of “depressurization” time before reentry to work.