Indeed Inc., a major online job search company, has elected to discontinue its monthly mental health days, originally implemented during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The move comes with a wave of other companies terminating benefits introduced during the crisis period.
Indeed initiated what they dubbed as “YOU Days” in June 2020. This gave all employees the same day off each month, aiming to alleviate stress during a time when staff were reportedly taking fewer vacation days due to travel restrictions imposed at the height of the pandemic.
Fast forward three years; employees appear to be taking time off at a rate similar to pre-pandemic times and as a result of this trend, the presumed need for “YOU Days” has seemingly passed, resulting in the discontinuation of the program.
Indeed’s case serves to underscore a larger ongoing trend within businesses worldwide: the winding back of temporary benefits introduced during the COVID-19 crisis. As we navigate beyond the confines of the global pandemic, it will be interesting to observe which workplace adaptations implemented during this period will persist long-term, and which will be consigned to history as mere temporary adjustments.
For more detailed information, more about the original report can be found here.