Mobile Premier League Launches "Zen Leave" For Employees To Fully Disconnect

Mobile Premier League (MPL) has introduced a unique paid leave program called "Zen Leave" that prioritizes employee disconnection during vacation time.

Zen Leave empowers employees to take an uninterrupted break by temporarily removing access to work applications like Google Suite, Slack and other IT tools. This allows them to focus on personal priorities, recharge, and spend quality time with loved ones without any anxieties of work.

A survey conducted by Glassdoor in 2022 revealed that over 54 per cent have difficulties unplugging from work while on PTO (paid time off). For professionals in senior positions, this number is higher. This can lead to burn out, mental fatigue and reduced job satisfaction in the long run. A separate study by Qualtrics in the US showed that 49% worked for an hour or more a day while on vacation, with 24% working three or more hours per day.

“We have all experienced it. Even on vacation, it's hard to resist checking work emails and notifications,” says Namratha Swamy, Chief Operating Officer at Mobile Premier League (MPL). “We believe in encouraging our employees to truly switch off when off the clock. Zen Leave takes this a step further by ensuring employees can decompress, prioritize their well-being, and return feeling refreshed.”

The Zen Leave also breaks the culture of being "always on”, adds Namratha. Tech companies often rely on Incident Managers On-Call (IMOC) to resolve critical issues. This, combined with an unwritten expectation for high achievers to be reachable and responsive, can lead to employees feeling pressured to check emails or messages. Zen Leave addresses this directly by providing a structured method for complete disconnection.

Employees have flexibility in terms of how they want to personalize their time away from work. They can choose to take multiple Zen leaves throughout the year, spread out their off-days for shorter breaks or combine them with existing vacation days for longer periods of rest.