Staff at Nike’s corporate headquarters in Oregon have been given a week off to support their mental health, ahead of the return to the office in September.
From today until Friday, the US firm will “power down” to give employees a rest after a tough year.
Take the time to unwind, destress and spend time with your loved ones,” the firm’s head of insights Matt Marrazzo said in a message to staff.
It follows similar moves from dating app Bumble and Linkedin.
A growing number of employees have reported feeling burnt out as the pandemic drags on and many continue to work from home.
Big US firms such as Apple, Uber and bank Wells Fargo have also delayed plans for staff to return to the office as infections surge across the US.
Making the announcement on Linkedin last week, Marrazzo told Nike staff: “Do not work” – adding that the past year had been “rough” and they were “living through a traumatic event”.
In a year (or two) unlike any other, taking time for rest and recovery is key to performing well and staying sane.
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It’s not just a ‘week off’ for the team… it’s an acknowledgment that we can prioritize mental health and still get work done.”
According to reports, it also reflects the fact Nike has had a successful year, with sales up and its stock gaining 20%.
Bumble, the dating app where women are in charge of making the first move, told its 700 staff worldwide to switch off and focus on themselves back in June.
One senior executive revealed on Twitter that founder Whitney Wolfe Herd had made the move “having correctly intuited our collective burnout”.
LinkedIn also gave its workers a week off in April while Citi Group said in March it would have “Zoom-free Fridays” to combat pandemic fatigue.
