Recharge means to “regain energy or spirit.” As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact us both personally and professionally, a regular recharge is much needed to fuel the human soul.

That’s why in 2020, Blue Yonder introduced Recharge Days — a day where the whole company takes off and associates are encouraged to spend time away from their computers. The day was always purposefully tied to a weekend to give associates a chance to extend the recharge.

This year, we are offering for the first time, a two-week Holiday Recharge. Associates are being asked to shut down the evening of Dec. 23, 2021, and not return to their computers until Jan. 10, 2022. Why you ask? Well, the past two years have been hard on everyone, especially those of us in the supply chain field. Blue Yonder associates have worked tirelessly to help our customers continue to deliver the much-needed resources the world needs, from food and water to medicine and vaccines.

From a well-being perspective, allowing associates to disconnect is so important, especially during the holidays which tend to be stressful for many. And at the end of a long and busy year, giving them time away to focus on the things that are important to them fits into our Core Values.

The Holiday Recharge is not only meant to benefit associates but their families and our customers as well. Blue Yonder associates’ families support them all year long; this time off will mean that associates can focus on being present for the holidays with their families and giving of their time. For customers, Blue Yonder associates will return more focused and ready to take on the new year to support them!

While some associates will still have to work during this time to support customers, my hope is that associates can disconnect and really shift the focus on other things that are important to them, especially their health and well-being.

We asked Blue Yonder associates what the upcoming Holiday Recharge Day means to them and/or what do they hope to accomplish with the time away from work. A few of their responses are follow:

• Rebecca Sunda (North America): “Time for me! Take care of all the little things — checking off my list… Organizing for next year.”
• Tracee Frazier (North America): “I plan to hike and having breakfast or lunch not alone!”
• Susan Beal (North America): “The Holiday Recharge means our leadership team recognizes the team’s Herculean efforts. Thank you!”
• Mike Guerra (Latin America): “Learning about the Holiday Recharge was a nice cultural shock; as new hire I was pleasantly surprised to hear that there would be recharge days and not from your own vacations or holidays, unheard of in my country! I plan to do some training, reading new material and going through product demos.”
• Lesa Molinari (EMEA): “The Holiday Recharge means that our Blue Yonder Leadership team understands the impact that COVID-19 has had on everyone and has kindly given us extended time off over the Christmas period to literally recharge. For me, it means I can spend quality time with my dad who is battling prostate cancer.”
• Urszula Gembarzewska (EMEA): “At the beginning I could not believe we all have a recharge week! I found out that, unlike other companies, Blue Yonder says less but does much more for the associate. Being human is a real value for the organization, and for me, the recharge period is just more proof of this.”
• Leo Valaris (APAC): “Not only a break from the rigors of work, but recharge days provide an opportunity for reflection. Too often we are swept up in the constant demands of work, we don’t devote time to reflect and allow our conscious and subconscious mind to process the past and reveal insights for improvement.”
• Rolf Donslund (EMEA): “Not being able to go many places (and visit many people due to Covid), we double-down on the home decorations and walks in the nearby forest. Hopefully we will see some snow and frosty weather from early next week…”
• David Marcos (Latin America): “No alarm clocks, that’s for sure! I want to spend time outside, go camping or at least a cabin or something like it.”
• Bill Dougherty (North America): “I plan on just sitting and watching TV, reading a book, and hanging out with the family. However, most importantly I plan on giving more time to my church and helping with Angel Trees, our prison ministry, and helping someone who is not able to buy presents for the children for Christmas.”
• Laura Gillespie (EMEA): “For me, the recharge period is an invaluable opportunity to take a much-needed break after a challenging couple of years. I’m immensely grateful for the chance to prioritize my well-being and spend quality time with loved ones, for such a prolonged period.”
• Jessie Brady (North America): “I plan on spending time with my husband and daughters. My sister and nephews are coming in from out of state to visit for a whole week. We haven’t all been together for an extended amount of time since 2018.”
• Cici Dong (APAC): “It means a chance to adventure; it means a gateway to retreat. I plan to celebrate Christmas with a group of young strangers by joining an outdoor tour in the northern part of China to do some winter-ish activities: skiing, ice fishing, hot tub, hiking and of course great food! After that, I will spend time with my close friends and family to welcome the new year!”
• Julia Mitchum (North America): “The recharge period shows the company cares about the associates, not just the bottom line. This is time to rest, spend time with family, and catch up on housework!”
• Hassan Lotfi (North America): “The pandemic has had a significant effect on our lives. Life has become stressful and sometimes overwhelming, and for those of us who have family members in other countries, it’s been tough not to see our families.”
• Buck Devashish (North America): “This is the ultimate gift from Blue Yonder, the gift of time. For me, this is the permission to disconnect completely and to be with my family. Amazing!”

We are delighted to offer this benefit to associates and wish each of them, Blue Yonder customers and partners, the happiest and healthiest of holidays. We look forward to coming back recharged and ready to tackle whatever comes our way in 2022.