Happy and you know it? You took the correct number of vacation days in 2023, experts say.
The most contented American workers took an average of 15 days of paid time off (PTO) last year, according to a recent report from CalendarLabs.
A whopping 38% of American workers took less than the average, the survey showed — either because that’s all they were allowed, or they felt they couldn’t get away.
When we do step away from the office, nearly four in five of us feel guilty for taking PTO, with many worrying about adding to their colleagues’ workload, or falling behind with their own.
To compensate for their guilt, 66% put in extra hours before taking leave, with 69% admitting to responding to notifications while on their time off.
The average private sector employee is granted just 11 days of PTO during their first five years with the company, 15 days of PTO after five years and 17 days of PTO after 10 years of service, according to Forbes.
Rather than taking vacation days, 87% of employees said they would prefer a $10,000 raise.
A previous study discovered a surprising generational divide surrounding vacation guilt.
While they may act their wage and go after lazy girl jobs, Gen Zers, it turns out, are far more vacation-shy than their Boomer co-workers.
A recent poll conducted by LinkedIn revealed that 35% of Gen Z workers say they feel guilty not working when they’re on vacation, compared to 22% of Boomers.
Furthermore, just 58% of the younger generation had plans to book a vacation and completely unplug in the coming months.
And Gen Z isn’t just nervous to take time off for a vacation, some of them are too scared to even step away from their desks to take lunch.
In fact, a study published by ezCater found that one in four Gen Z workers are worried that their employer won’t look favorably on them taking a lunch break.
Amongst people of all ages, one in 10 employees say they never take a lunch break. Almost half of workers eat lunch at their desks three or more times per week.
“This guilt can negatively impact their well-being and work performance. To address this, employers should foster a workplace culture that encourages taking time off without guilt,” Hannah Workman, part of the creative team for CalendarLabs, told Fortune.
As the mental health crisis continues to surge across the country, easing feelings of guilt or anxiety — and taking vacation days to destress and enjoy life — becomes more important.
But the CalendarLabs study concluded that the responsibility falls to management staff to help both the individual employee — and the workplace as a whole — understand the importance of unplugging.
“Promoting breaks, recognizing the importance of mental health, and managing workloads effectively can boost employee satisfaction and productivity,” Workman said.
