5 Reasons to Offer Your Newly Hired Employees a Pre-cation

You may be staring blankly at your screen, wondering what a “pre-cation” is. The simple answer is that it’s a paid vacation you provide to your new employees before they actually join your team. That’s right. You pay them to take time off before they even start. Why on earth would any reasonable person give money to someone who hasn’t done a thing yet?  There are actually many reasons that the pre-cation is becoming a popular incentive for companies to offer to new employees.

1. They are Burned Out

Something drove this individual to look for a new job. Most likely, it was their old job. If they spend all day Friday packing up their office and unravelling years of their former position, then go home and spend two days preparing to make a good impression at the new job, how are they going to decompress? If the employee has been job hunting for some time, the constant worry about finances prevents relaxation, even if they have had plenty of free time. By offering the job and reassuring them about their finances, they might actually be able to relax and enjoy the new feelings before diving straight in to work.

2. They Arrive Motivated

The extra time to plan and relax leaves them energized, focused, and also eager to start. While the first few days of the time off may have helped them release tension, the rest of the time may slowly build towards boredom, which means they may be eager to get back to work when the time comes to start. Self-starters in particular will wind up twiddling their thumbs, and itching to get in and start on the new job.

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3. It Inspires Loyalty

Low morale is the largest cause of employee turnover. Having a great benefits package and other incentives can help keep morale high. Happy employees don’t want to leave. If a pre-cation tells the employee that you are going to be good to them, they will be much less willing to look for work elsewhere. When you strive to keep them happy, employees notice, and they will strive to repay you in kind, generally with dedication and loyalty to you.

4. It lets them know that their well-being is a priority

As the next generation of employees is paying more attention to the idea of work-life balance, anything that indicates that you have their health and well-being in mind will be noticed. In addition to flexible scheduling, the pre-cation lets them know right from the start that you want to ensure their physical and emotional health is not neglected. This can open so many opportunities for communication, will help to build a solid relationship with the employee where they don’t feel fear about approaching you when trying to deal with a situation in their personal life. This open line of communication can help keep outside stress from interfering with responsibilities, and can help you strategize for those times when an employee might need a bit of extra flexibility. This type of stress management can lead to fewer sick days and more productivity in the office.

5. They feel obligated to earn it

Perhaps the least altruistic motive on your part is that when you pay them before they’ve done any work, they will go above and beyond to prove that they are worth what you have invested in them. Most people harbor insecurities about their abilities and perceived worth, and someone that feels that they may have been given an unfair advantage may feel the need to “earn” the reward. Coming into the office in the first few days with this attitude will establish this motivated behavior as the norm, and you will wind up with a more productive employee for the duration of their employment.

What are you waiting for?

The pre-cation is a small, but rapidly increasing trend in the business world. Get on board with this early and your business will be known as a pioneer in the industry, rather than jumping on the bandwagon once it becomes the norm. Establishing a reputation as an employee-focused business where people feel appreciated will help you to attract top talent for years to come. While you may initially balk at 2 weeks of pay and benefits with no work, the return on this investment will be made up quickly in increased morale, loyalty, and productivity.

Author: Will Norquay is a frequent business traveler who shares his experiences and thoughts writing for Stayz, Australia’s #1 holiday rental website.