08.22.06
Got to Get Away
Remember the lyrics to that old Go-Gos song? “Vacation…All I ever wanted….Vacation…Had to get away…” While many American may say they value their vacation time, and need to take time off to avoid burn out and increased stress, most aren’t taking it.
According to a recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive and Ipsos Reid for Expedia, workers give back an average of three to four days of unused, paid vacation each year. Put it all together and you are talking about 574 million days of unused vacation, totaling an estimated $75.7 billion in wages this year alone.
Why are they giving up their time off?
· Need to schedule them in advance – 14%
· Workload – 11%
· The assumption that they will be paid for unused days – 10%
Even when on vacation, we still can’t seem to disconnect. Twenty-three percent of us are always checking our business voice mail or e-mailing during our vacation, and 65 percent are saying they experience work-related stress even when not in the office.
With the negative effects of not taking time off being found in decreased productivity and increased stress levels, the simple fact is that vacation time needs to be taken, and encouraged by managers and owners. Many companies are now seeing the importance and are gently pushing their employees to take those well-earned vacations.
