IELTS Writing Task 2 essay with model answer

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic

In some countries, employees are generally given two weeks of paid vacation time each year. In other countries, employees are given four or six weeks of paid vacation time.

Considering the needs of both employee and employer, what do you think is a reasonable amount of paid vacation time for employees to have?

Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer:

In today's world, the number of annual leave granted to employees varies according to each country's labour laws and regulations. Some nations limit these holidays to a fortnight, while other generous countries provide over a month of paid vacation time. In my opinion, three weeks time-off is a more suitable time frame for both employers and employees. 

Leaves amounting to three weeks in total given to employees is argued to be beneficial for both the company and the workers. When employees finish a certain task, they should be rewarded with some time-off before taking the next bucket of workload. Such arrangements give the worker a clearer mind, renewed energy and greater concentration. A six-week holiday on the other hand, may impact productivity negatively, as it will be challenging to pick up work after a stretched leave. To top it off, festivals and celebrations are national holidays which are extensions to the allocated annual leaves. For example, Malaysia has the highest number of public holidays in the world due to additional leaves enacted by the government for religious pilgrimages. Thus, it becomes impractical for Malaysian companies to provide 6 weeks annual leave to their employees in addition to these mandatory non-working days. 

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To add on, problems arise when employees exercise their extensive leave rights during peak periods. Not only do client deliverables have to be produced within a short time interval, but the company also has to ensure sufficient headcount to carry on tasks left by staff on holiday. As a result, employers are forced to hire temporary workers as a replacement. Such measures add to the company's cost and double up the amount of time required to ensure a smooth transition period for both clients and employers, 

In conclusion, although six weeks paid vacation is every employee’s dream, the drawbacks such as lower productivity rate and hiring of temporary workers are detrimental to employers. Consequently, a three-week holiday period is a better solution for the well being of both the company and its employees. 

Total Words: 330

Task Achievement: 9

Coherence & Cohesion: 9

Lexical resources: 9

Grammar: 9

Overall Score: Band 9