KPMG in Canada is continuing its Summer Splash program this year to help employees recharge and focus on their well-being.
The professional services firm is once again providing eligible employees with five additional paid days off during the summer. However, this year, the extra days off will be in conjunction with long weekends — starting on May 19 — so employees will have four days off instead of the usual three.
“We want to ensure our employees are part of our decision-making process,” says Emily Brine, managing director of firm operations, talent and culture at KPMG in Canada. “We brought in our ‘leaders of tomorrow,’ which is the sounding board that works with our CEO [and discussed] different options we wanted to try this year. So they were part of the process and helped us to decide what to implement with Summer Splash this year.”
Read: KPMG is turning every weekend into a long weekend for employees this summer
The initiative originally came about after an internal survey found the ability to pause and spend time with loved ones was among employees’ top priorities.
“Summer Splash is part of our overall wellness strategy [to ensure] that we have a resilient and healthy workforce,” says Brine. “This is our third year doing this initiative and it’s also part of our listening strategy. It’s really important for us to listen to what our employees value.”
The program has been very well received, she adds, noting employees really appreciate being able to take the time off to re-energize and enjoy the summer months.
Read: Thomson Reuters supporting employee well-being with new vacation policy