Summer is the season for vacation for many people, but some folks miss out on traveling because they don’t use all their paid time off (PTO) they earn at work. The idea of not taking all the vacation days you get seems crazy to some of us, but research has shown that only 48% take all the time that’s offered and 46% take less time. With so many Americans leaving PTO on the table, a new report reveals why they don’t take it.
LiveCareer, a job search service provider, polled more than 1,000 employed U.S. workers and found a lot of us have hesitations and concerns about using the PTO they accrue.
- A third (33%) admit they feel pressure not to use all the paid time off they earn and 9% say their employer actively discourages them from taking time off.
- More than half (59%) of workers have anxiety when it comes to taking PTO, even though 45% earn more than two weeks of it per year.
- Their top concerns about using vacation days include work piling up (19%), missing out on opportunities (19%), and being perceived as less committed (12%).
- The thing is, just because a company gives time off, the workplace culture can send a different message.
- Half (49%) of workers report that their company says it supports vacation, but their workloads make taking time off unrealistic.
- And leadership really sets the tone, as 20% say they’re less likely to take time off from work if their manager doesn’t take vacation.
- So, what would help employees get past the guilt and pressure and actually use their vacation days? Workers say they need more than just a policy allowing for time off, they need systems and support from their employer to feel good about using PTO.
- They’d feel more confident requesting time off if they had better financial stability (51%), backup or coverage for their work while on PTO (25%), mental health days built into benefits (18%) and supportive managers and leadership (18%).
Source: USA Today