TORONTO -Despite the economic downturn, many executives haven't forgotten the benefit of occasionally taking a break. A new survey shows that more than four in five (83 per cent) of Canadian CFOs plan to proceed with vacation plans.

The survey was conducted by an independent research firm and includes responses from 270 chief financial officers (CFOs) from a stratified random sample of Canadian companies.

CFOs were asked, "Has the economy forced you to postpone or reduce the amount of vacation you plan to take this year?" Their responses:

No.................................................. 83%
Yes................................................. 17%
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100%

"The most savvy managers recognize that taking time off helps professionals maintain a healthy work/life balance and can also help boost productivity," said David King, executive vice president for Robert Half Management Resources. "While executives are committed to steering their firms through the downturn, those who allow themselves to take a well planned leave from the office often return recharged."

King offers the following tips to help executives and their team members enjoy a relaxing and guilt-free respite from the office:

Develop a game plan. Create a system for granting vacation requests and plan accordingly. The sooner you can determine how you will cover for vacationing employees, the better.

Safeguard client relationships. Make sure staff members alert clients and other key business contacts when they will be on vacation and give details on who will be handling requests while they are out.

Use vacations as a 'testing ground.' Allow high-potential employees to take on greater responsibility when teams are thin, giving you the chance to evaluate them for future advancement opportunities.

Seek interim support. Companies operating with less people risk overloading remaining staff. Arrange additional staffing support when workloads become unmanageable.

Set an example. Often a company's hardest-working employees are the ones to forgo vacations during busy periods. Managers who take time off set a good example for employees who may otherwise feel compelled to do without a vacation.