I Am Currently Août of the Office ...

The French are notorious for their long Summer holidays - no email, call or crisis will jolt them back before August is over. You might mock their nonchalance, but there are surprisingly good reasons for not slaving your Summer months away.

If this is your boss, chances are, she's not writing up your glowing appraisal.

Pleasure over profits

Les Grandes Vacances is some 8-10 weeks of holiday guaranteed by French labour laws. All that free time has invited debate as to whether it is better to take the whole of July off (the Juilletistes), or August (the Aoûtiens) - ah, if only there was a simple answer!

The French aren't lazy - far from it. Latest OECD statistics show that the French work as, if not more, hours many other countries. Many of their traders, engineers and designers are also particularly sought after.

OECD data on total hours worked per worker, from 2017-2021. France represented in purple.

So why the fuss over down-time? A CBS report suggested that it came down to pleasure over profits. Living in the moment is far better than reaping in big bucks to be spent on some future date, because, according to Corinne Maier, author of Bonjour Laziness, "We, French people, right now we don't believe that the future will be better than now."

Somewhat ironically, the productivity among French workers is one of the highest in Europe and exceeds levels in Germany and the UK, according to Eurostat, is because companies would rather invest in labour-saving processes than invest in new heads. - FT

Is this a national case of mindfulness, or pesssimism? Perhaps neither. What we do know is that when the going gets tough for the French, the state is quick to provide.

OECD data on social spending, as a % of GDP from 2017-2019.

Recess, yes. Recession, no.

So the French work hard + play hard, but will this trend continue? We certainly hope so. This could be the key to halting global recession. Here's our dystopian theory.

First COVID, now a pandemic of quiet-quitting. Like COVID, quiet-quitting was first discovered in China (aka"tangping", or "to lie flat"), and like COVID, this is denied (#tangping is a censored hashtag).

Tangping makes sense in a planned economy, but this lifestyle also caught on globally, as governments kept markets afloat and jobs in abundance, even as everything was crumbling around us. Widespread quiet-quitting contributes to recession, which is itself highly contagious.

The Planking Pair, two girls in their twenties from Taiwan creating funny pictures around the world.

Do as the French do

Businesses are waking up to this problem, and are encouraging a sense of pride + belonging amongst staff. Ethical corporate culture, flexi-work, free branded-merch, colourful furniture, and even share options. Our favourite is Citigroup's recent office in the tourist town of Malaga, Spain.

"Get back to your cubicle" (photo malakatourismo.com)

But as the Guardian reports, this has not stopped workers from coasting. Many are turning to side projects, and some are even leaving their jobs for a more frugal life. This is not all bad, but for those of us who still believe in industry + driving global growth and - of course - moving up that corporate ladder, here's what we recommend.

W O R K I T H A R D

• Purpose - A company with a clear vision that employees buy into (climate change, animal welfare, cure for cancer) will see higher levels of engagement. Do you work for such a company? If you are a business owner, can you articulate your business objective differently?

• Thank you this much - Letting your staff know how much they are contributing to the company is also an important way of retaining talent and keeping them engaged. Visualise their contribution, and plan incentives accordingly.

• I'm worth every penny - Knowing that you earned your wages, and that you weren't faking it, gives your mental wellness a huge boost. Reduced stress, confidence, sense of control, worthiness and assertiveness improves if you worked for your money.

• Move it - If you give a job your best, and it's still not inspiring you, that's a sign that you should be moving on to something different. This is a realisation that would be less easy to spot if you drift in and out mindlessly.

It might surprise you to know that it is actually easier to work hard than it is to play hard. Don't worry, we're here to help:

P L A Y E V E N H A R D E R

• All in vain - If you do good work, you want this to be seen + acknowledged. We're not suggesting you don't do it, but be smart + time it such that you get maximum credit for good work.

• I see, eyesore, I am seeing - If your work gets seen, make sure it's not irritating either. Short reports (one-liner emails like "July event successful. Will report at 25 Sep meeting.") will be better received. Golden rule is: If something can wait, let it wait.

• Bean counter - Value you, and others will too. You have a life too, and prioritise your down time as much as your boss does. An inspirational artic trip is a catchier conversation starter than a Summer at your desk.

• Confidence - If you find yourself chained to your desk, chances are, you do not believe you bring valuable input, or that you don't measure up. Re-examine how to address this, rather than waste time overworking yourself.

What do you think? Should we work when the boss is not around? As a boss, do you micromanage from your deckchair? Tell us what you think, at colabmailbox@gmail.com.

For ideas on inspirational getaways or corporate coaching, see our book in page.

References:

"France: less work, more time off", Rebecca Leung for CBS news, 27 June 2005.

"French labour laws", Valentine Sergon for Expatica, 4 August 2022.

OECD (2022), Hours worked (indicator). doi:10.1787/47be1c78-en.

OECD (2022), Social spending (indicator). doi:10.1787/7497563b-en.

"In defence of Europe's long holidays", Sarah Gordon for the Financial Times, 3 June 2015.

"Quiet quitting: why doing the bare minimum at work has gone global", James Tapper for The Guardian, 6 August 2022.

"Citi turns to new hub in Malaga to lure junior analysts", by Alexandre Rajbhandari and Jenifer Surane for Bloomberg, 15 March 2022.