The worrying increase of ‘Quiet Vacationing’ in the workplace is impacting employee Productivity!
Nicolas BEHBAHANI
Global People Analytics & HR Data Leader - People & Culture | Strategical People Analytics Design
📣 The "Quiet Vacationing" replaces "Quiet Quitting" in the workplace!
🔥 The majority of employees are satisfied with their company’s paid time off and vacation policy. However, most (78%) do not use the maximum amount of paid time off allowed by their employer.
💡 Pressure to be available and heavy workload are top barriers from taking more time, Gen Z and Millennials fear employer reaction and career implications
⚠️ Although 62% of the American workforce say, “being ‘out of office’ means absolutely no working,” nearly the same amount (60%) admit that they struggle to “fully disconnect” when they can take their time off, according to a new interesting research published by The Harris Poll using data 📊 from a online survey conducted among 1,170 employed adults aged 18 and over in US between April 26th to 28th.
✅What is the new "Quiet Vacationing"?
Researchers defined "Quiet Vacationing" as a Millennials, who make up almost 40% of the workforce, going to absurd lengths to give their bosses the impression they’re still working.
The three main practices of "Quiet vacationing" employees:
❌ They jiggle their computer mouse to make it appear they’re active online - 38% of millennial workers.
❌ They take time off without communicating it to their manager and employer - 37% of millennial workers
❌ They sent emails outside work hours to create the illusion they’re working overtime - 37% of millennial workers
✅What is the root cause of this "quiet vacation"?
Researchers found that feeling pressured to always respond to work inquiries, and guilt about leaving leftover work to colleagues were among the top reasons employees are "quiet vacationing".
⚠️ Researchers listed top barriers to taking more paid time off or vacations:
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✅There’s no rest for the wicked!
Researchers found that Americans are consistently connected even outside of work hours.
They found that most American workers (86%) say they would check emails from their boss while on paid time off/vacation, and more than half (56%) have taken work-related calls during their time off.
✅Check email even on PTO or vacation
Researchers noticed that almost 9 in 10 employed Americans say they would check an email from their boss, even when on PTO or vacation.
☝️ 𝙈𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬:
This interesting research tells us about this new trend of "Quiet Vacation" which is once again starting from Generation Z and millennials but which has repercussions on work and productivity. In a culture that glorifies being busy, specially, Americans are consistently connected even outside of work hours. The classic “R&R” - "Rest and relaxation" is truly what all workers want the most. Leaders must not neglect this phenomenon and find solutions because this demotivation can lead to burnout and disengagement of all employees.
Thank you 🙏 The Harris Poll researchers team for these insightful findings:
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6moIsn't 'Lack of Trust' from both sides, the main root cause of all these issues about 'Quiet-?? (Vacationing/Hiring/Firing), Moonlighting, etc
Chief Strategy Officer, The Harris Poll | Futurist | Founding Member of Chief | Thought Leadership Builder | Human Decoder
6moThank you Nicolas BEHBAHANI, for featuring our research! To your point, these are signals of unhealthy workplace cultures. We have the power as business leaders to normalize vacations and rest, and we should! Some people misinterpret this research as a 'remote' employee issue, but in fact, it's those going into the office who are most likely to say "I wish my workplace culture placed a stronger emphasis on the value of taking regular breaks and utilizing paid time off "(78% in-person, 76% hybrid, 70% remote)
Leader, Work Psychologist, Author & Speaker. Follow for posts about culture, leadership & making work human. Founder of Make It Human
6moEek… this is worrying. And adds to all the crises we’re facing - burnout, productivity, trust. Maybe we need some collective down periods - like many countries across Europe where everyone takes longer holidays. Then, there’s no one to impress and little to miss.
Speaker, Author, Professor, Thought Partner on Human Capability (talent, leadership, organization, HR)
6moNicolas BEHBAHANI Thanks for sharing. I had not heard of the term "quiet vacationing" but the data intrigue me. First, it would worry me that employees feel a need to misrepresent that they are working when they are not. This seems to be a symptom of a larger mistrust. Second, there has been a movement towards "personalization" where an employee finds where and how work works for them. Personalization would also apply to renewal. For some, it is travel, personal or family time, hobbies, etc. for others, work is renewing. It might help for people discover what is renewing to them Finally, there is often a trade off for some jobs. One founder/CEO said he would honor his executive team personal (weekend) time and not have work-related expectations. But, if a crisis or major challenge came up that needed attention, he would ask them if they were available. In other words, they talked about work/life issues. One of the executives was very grateful for the transparency and candor. On a weekend when one of his kids was involved in a major activity, the ceo reached out. The executive said, "give me 3 hours and I will back to you." It worked for both. There is not likely one size or approach that fits all circumstances.
Human Resource Professional | MBA | Coporate Recruiting Professional- ASA | Ex-Wirtgen Group,A John Deere Company
6mo‘Quiet vacationing’ where employees choose solitude and tranquility during their paid time off, presents both challenges and opportunities for organizations. Companies must adopt a balanced approach that honors employees' need for relaxation while ensuring their dedication to work responsibilities. Creating a culture that prioritizes work-life balance and mental well-being is essential. Encouraging regular breaks, including vacations, is crucial for preventing burnout and sustaining productivity. Rather than viewing quiet vacations negatively, HR leaders should see them as signs of employees taking proactive steps to manage their mental health. HR departments can investigate the reasons behind employees opting for quiet vacations and offer flexible PTO policies that allow guilt-free time off, including shorter, more frequent breaks or remote work options during vacations, enabling employees to recharge without fully disconnecting. Thank you so much for sharing this great research.