Why Aren’t US Workers Using Their PTO?
According to recent research from the Pew Research Center:
Nearly half of workers don’t take all the paid time off their employer offers.
Here are the 6 most common reasons why:
1 – They feel they don’t need more time off.
2 – They fear falling behind at work.
3 – They worry it will hinder their career growth.
4 – They feel bad asking colleagues to cover for them.
5 – They feel they might be risking their job.
6 – Their managers discourage them from taking off.
Here’s the good news…
I know the solution to resolve all of these reasons.
The answer is something called a WORKATION.
So, before we get into how workations address all these excuses, let’s answer the question, “what is a workation?”
It’s really not complicated.
Workations ARE:
- Traveling somewhere interesting for extended periods of time (maybe a month or so?)
- Working remotely from there during your normal business hours Mon thru Fri.
- Spending your non-working hours enjoying the local destination’s food, culture, & history.
Workations are ARE NOT:
- Sacrificing your job or career to travel.
- Working while on vacation & using PTO.
- Working fewer hours or being less productive than normal.
Now, let’s revisit those 6 concerns US workers have about taking vacations to see how workations can help:
1 – They feel they don’t need more time off.
First, I find this interesting because, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average vacation time is 10-14 days per year after one year of service. Hardly seems like “more than enough” if you ask me – especially when compared to average vacation time offered to employees in Europe.
You might not feel like you need more time to recharge your batteries (& maybe that’s true). However, more & more research is coming out about the benefits of increased creativity, productivity & problem-solving when working in new & inspiring environments. If taking a workation or 2 every year gives you an extra edge on being more productive, why would you not take it?
Lastly, I have to wonder if this is REALLY true deep down in their heart of hearts. The US, on average, offers the least amount of PTO anywhere in the world. Are US workers truly fulfilling their dreams in this small window of time given by their employer??
2 – They fear falling behind at work.
I can relate to this. During my 20+ yrs working in the corporate world, I always stressed out during vacations, wondering how my “in-flight” projects were going & dreading the mountain of emails waiting for me in my inbox! PTO is so needed!
Fortunately, you won’t have to worry about falling behind while you travel because you bring your work with you. Workations are NOT about working more or less than you normally do. They’re about working the same amount & intensity but positioning yourself in amazing places that you can enjoy & explore during your non-working hours.
3 – They worry it will hinder their career growth.
“Face time” is often viewed as a key indicator of an employee’s dedication & productivity. During my corporate tenure, being first in & last to leave was a good sign of promotability, regardless of quality of work.
Taking workations won’t hinder your career trajectory because you’re not falling behind on work. In fact, with increased focus & creativity, you’ll be even more productive & effective at work while on your workation.
4 – They feel bad asking colleagues to cover for them.
Given the competitive & often cut-throat nature in a lot of workplaces in the US, it’s actually refreshing to hear that people are considerate enough of others to cite this as a reason to NOT use all their vacation time. However, it’s too bad that 43% of these folks feel such guilt about asking for help – even in situations like this where it’s reciprocal. This is probably a cultural thing in the US that is likely not going to change. This is why taking PTO can help relieve so many mental health issues.
However, when taking a workation, you don’t have these bad feelings of asking someone to cover for you because you continue to work just as you would if you were working from your employer’s or your own home office. This is a vacation problem that doesn’t exist when you take a workation.
5 – They feel they might be risking their job.
I don’t have much to say here except that it’s really disappointing to hear 19% of these folks feel this way. It’s a sad state of affairs when employees feel their bosses might retaliate against them like that!
While it’s crappy employees feel this way, you can dodge these feelings by taking workations because you’re still working while you travel.
When you work in healthy work environments as an effective & valuable employee, company leaders won’t care where you’re working from. They only care that their employees are happy & healthy and that the work: 1) gets done, 2) is timely, and 3) is high quality.
6 – Their managers discourage them from taking off.
Like #5 above, all I can say is: it’s a sad state of affairs. AND… 2) Those 12% of people need to find new jobs. I also recommend companies FIRE such managers!
In the meantime, I encourage you to consider taking workations. It’s a great way to travel without disrupting things at work while you find another job. :) Remember! When you take a workation, you’re still working, producing, & staying on top of their responsibilities. You’re not shirking their responsibilities like these idiot bosses seem to think when employees take vacations.
So, hopefully you can see why workations are all the rage when it comes to fulfilling your dreams of travel!
Let me help you!
Planning workations has become my area of expertise.
Taking workations help busy professionals achieve TRAVEL FREEDOM while:
– Keeping their steady paychecks.
– Using minimal (if any) PTO.
– Not waiting for retirement to fulfill their dreams of travel.
📢 If you’re ready to plan your next workation, you can contact me HERE, or send me a DM on LinkedIn or Twitter to get started!
