Nike Inc. (NKE) said on Tuesday
that it had given employees at its corporate offices a week off in
August, giving priority to their mental wellbeing. The company said
that it is giving its employees the free week so that they could
“destress” in the backdrop of the fear and uncertainty brought on by
the coronavirus pandemic.
In a social media post, Matt Marrazzo, a senior manager of global
marketing science at Nike, said that the company’s Nike’s
headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon were “powering down” for the week
from last Monday.
He said, “Our senior leaders are all sending a clear message: Take
the time to unwind, destress and spend time with your loved ones. Do
not work.”
Marrazzo said that he believed taking the time to rest and recover
was the “key to performing well and staying sane.”
Nike is not the first company to offer its employees a free week off
by laying emphasis on their mental health. In June, the dating app
Bumble gave more than 700 people a free week off so that they do not
face work fatigue.
LinkedIn also gave most of its employees a week’s paid vacation in
April so that they could recharge and rejuvenate. Teuila Hanson,
chief people officer at the company said that it was “inspiring to
see how our employees returned to work rejuvenated and recharged.”
“It reminds me just how critical company culture and the wellness and
mental health of employees are to any business,” Hanson added.(DPA)
