“How did you spend your summer vacation?”
It’s a question most of us answered at the beginning of every school year when we were children, with answers as varied as attending a sleep-away summer camp to endless hours spent crammed into the family car on the way to some national landmark (or, if you were lucky, Disney World).
As adults though the answer is often much simpler — working.
According to a new survey of more than 2,200 U.S. workers by the career website Glassdoor, the average U.S. employee who receives paid vacation has only taken about half (54%) of those days in the past 12 months.
Fifty-four percent is actually a popular number in this discussion. According to a separate study conducted by the U.S. Travel Association’s Project Time Off, last year 54% of Americans didn’t use all of their vacation days, which was a jump from 42% in 2013.
What’s the primary reason we’re not taking full advantage of our paid vacation? “Fear,” Scott Dobroski, a career trends analyst with Glassdoor told the financial website MarketWatch. “That’s the underscoring theme.”
And it’s fear of a lot of things — getting behind on their work, believing no one else can do their work while they’re gone, being completely disconnected for any stretch of time, and, most importantly, losing their jobs.
This is all backed up by another recent study, this one from staffing firm Accountemps.
In the Accountemps survey, 54% of workers (there’s that number again) say they typically check in with the office at least once or twice a week during their vacation, up from 41% just one year ago.
On the bright side, those who do connect with the office do so fewer times during their break: 15% of workers touch base at least once or twice a day, compared to 21% in 2016.
“These days, reluctance to take a vacation more than likely stems from professionals’ desire to keep projects under control or a feeling of guilt that colleagues may have to take on additional work during their absence,” notes Jim Jeffers, metro market manager of Accountemps and Robert Half in Madison. “According to our recent survey, many workers check in to ensure things are under control while they’re out (54%). This gives them peace of mind and might help them relax a little more while on vacation. Some feel completely disconnecting could keep projects from moving forward (53%), while others might connect to handle simple tasks and avoid coming back to a heap of work (47%). Others worry disconnecting will be a hardship on staff and other executives (34%).”
Still, while all that dedication is admirable, it’s not necessarily doing workers any favors. More than one-third of professionals (37%) surveyed by Accountemps say they could use more time to recharge. Forty-four percent of females surveyed say they don’t have enough time off, versus 31% of males. For what it’s worth, U.S. workers plan to take an average of 10 vacation days this summer.
“Our research reveals that work-life balance has become a growing priority for many employees, and scheduling time to rest and recharge is an important part of that,” says Jeffers. “Companies are recognizing this and offering perks like flexible work options and special summer hours to appeal to new candidates and retain existing talent.”
The Accountemps survey results also offers some notable gender and age differences:
- Men plan on taking more days off this summer compared to last summer.
- 35% of men will take more days off, compared to 24% of women.
- Women are better at disconnecting while on vacation.
- 55% of women don’t check in at all compared to 41% of men.
- Younger workers plan on taking more vacation days this summer compared to last year.
- 41% of workers between the ages of 18 and 34 plan on taking more time off, compared to 25% of workers ages 35 to 54 and only 16% of respondents 55 and over.
- Younger workers check in with the office more often than other age groups.
- 62% of workers 18–34 check in at least once or twice a week compared to 40% of workers 55 and older.
- Workers 55 and older are the best at unplugging from the office while on vacation.
- 60% of workers 55 and older don’t check in at all while on vacation, compared to only 38% of millennials.
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Follow the leader
As far as employers encouraging time off, managers should live the culture they’re trying to create, recommends Jeffers. “Some executives are so accustomed to working long hours, checking in, and keeping tabs all the time that it may be difficult and more stressful for them to step away completely. But if employees see that their boss never takes a vacation or gets away from the office, they are more likely to follow suit.”
In addition to being able to enjoy their time off, there are professional benefits for managers who can delegate work while away, notes Jeffers. Vacations can be an opportune time for individuals to try different assignments and gain leadership experience. Entrusting colleagues to handle their manager’s responsibilities instills confidence in them to take over key initiatives and projects when needed. Delegating work to team members can also help with succession planning. How people perform when managers aren’t around could point to professional growth opportunities and potential promotions.
“As a manager, it’s important to encourage staff to take time off and be unbiased about how employees choose to do so,” Jeffers says. “Vacation means different things to different people. Employees will shy away from taking vacation if they think they are being judged on how they use their time off.”
Managers can cultivate a work environment where employees feel comfortable taking time away by:
- Creating a clear vacation policy where staff is encouraged to use that time away from the office.
- Closing the office during quiet periods typically taken for vacation, such as year-end holidays.
- Leading by example and using their own vacation days.
Tips for preparing for vacation and unplugging while away
There’s certainly some required preparation to keep the wheels moving when employees take off for vacation, but summer can creep up and employees don’t always have the opportunity to think ahead about taking time off, Jeffers acknowledges. Workers may be so busy leading up to a vacation that tying up loose ends and getting project coverage falls by the wayside. Additionally, with school out for the summer, sometimes last-minute absences are required to care for kids. Here are a few tips to help employees make their next vacation a huge success:
1. Plan early and plan ahead: First of all, put that vacation from work on the calendar and request it as far in advance as possible. Once time off has been approved, give key contacts advanced notice about your time off.
2. Delegate: As part of their pre-vacation prep, staff should outline what they’re working on, any upcoming deadlines they’re responsible for, and what duties others will have to fill in for while they’re away. It’s best to divide the work of a vacationing staff member among several employees rather than spreading one person too thin.
3. Hire help: If several employees are taking time off simultaneously, or if a single worker’s absence would throw off a team’s workflow, managers may be able to bring in temporary workers or freelancers to ensure tasks get done and deadlines remain on target.
4. Unplug — or not: You’ll get the most out of your vacation if you’re able to totally disconnect from the office — just make sure you’ve communicated your plans to be out of reach to your manager and team. If you absolutely must check in, provide specific times that you’ll be available, and limit your accessibility to those times. Set a schedule for the brief times you’ll be accessible and note it in your out-of-office reply. Try to avoid checking email outside of those hours so you can rest and recharge.
5. Get back on track: Upon your return, schedule a quick meeting with your manager or team to get caught up on what you may have missed and what projects are priorities.
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