Nike gives week off to employees: ‘Do not work’

The sportswear company follows LinkedIn, Bumble in push for employee wellness to combat burnout

Nike is giving its office employees a week of vacation time to rest, the sportswear company announced in a LinkedIn post on Friday. 

"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," Matt Marrazzo, senior manager of global marketing science at Nike said in a LinkedIn post, adding that Nike HQ is "powering down for a full week" beginning Monday.

Nike is giving its employees a week off to recharge during the pandemic. (iStock)

Nike is the latest company to show its prioritizing wellness and mental health for its employees during the pandemic. The dating app Bumble in June announced it was closing down its offices globally giving its employees the week off to help prevent employee "burnout." The Texas-based company said the week off was a way "to thank our team for their hard work and resilience." And in April, LinkedIn gave employees worldwide a paid week off to unplug. 

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The pandemic has sparked burnout among employees globally with more people working remotely and staying logged on for longer hours. Indeed, 70% of remote workers reported in a Robert Half survey from November working on weekends, while 45% said thy work more hours than before the pandemic. 

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Marrazzo stressed COVID-19 related challenges on the workforce.  

"This past year has been rough - we're all human! and living through a traumatic event! - but I'm hopeful that the empathy and grace we continue to show our teammates will have a positive impact on the culture of work moving forward," Marrazzo said, adding: "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."