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Workers Often Can’t Use All Time Off They Earn
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- One-quarter of all American workers can’t take all of their paid time off during the year, a survey by Adecco Staffing US finds. Of those who did take a vacation, 89% say they checked email, 70% made work-related calls and 25% went to the office for an in-person meeting in what was supposed to be time away from the office.
Even more frustrating to 22% was cutting short their vacations because of work-related duties.
Those who have given up vacation time because of work-related duties tend to be more judgmental about their colleagues' work habits. The survey found that 37% of those who have worked during vacation said they disapprove of their colleagues when they arrive late or leave early, compared to only 21% of those who have not given up personal time for work or to connect while out of the office.
"We live in such a fast-paced, technology-driven world that it can be very difficult to completely unplug, even when we're out of the office on personal time," said Sherry Dixon, a senior vice president at Adecco. "The pressures and responsibilities of the job tend to follow us wherever we go, but it's important to have balance so that you can enjoy the time you have. One way to do this is by establishing boundaries at work and appropriately planning staffing needs when one is going to be out of the office."
Although working Americans say they're not able to fully disconnect when they're out of the office, it seems they find other ways to reclaim vacation time. Twenty-two percent admit to planning to either report for work late or leave early when they know their boss will be out of office.
Other survey findings:
- Working Americans stay focused on the basics -- making more money and having a greater work/life balance. More than half, 53%, of American workers hope they get a raise this year, followed by 45% who would like a better balance between work and their personal lives. Other goals are getting promoted (26%), getting a new job (23%), networking more effectively (22%), and improving their relationship with their bosses (15%).
- Millennial workers are much more likely to want a promotion (43% compared to 30% of Gen X and 17% of Boomers) and a raise than others (67% compared to 58% of Gen X and 44% of Boomers, respectively).
- 27% of American workers do not believe their companies allow upward mobility. Other obstacles to achieving their career goals are a lack of motivation/being disengaged with their job (15%), followed by a lack of support from their manager (13%), lack of company-sponsored training (13%), and limited personal qualifications (9%).
- 37% of working Americans are annoyed by colleagues who complain about their work. This topped other habits such as leaving common spaces messy (30%), talking excessively loudly (26%), and coming to work sick (21%).
Adecco has more than 900 career centers and is one of America's largest employers.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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