A recent research has come to the conclusion that vacations where people completely disconnect from the office may be a thing of the past. “Workations,” as they’re being called nowadays, may be more common for professionals today.
Staffing company Accountemps, a Robert Half company, found that 54 percent of employees admitted to checking in with the office at least once or twice a week during their vacation, up from 41 percent just a year ago.
On the bright side, those who do connect with the office do so fewer times during their break: 15 percent of workers touch base at least once or twice a day, compared to 21 percent in 2016. Their reasons for checking in include gaining peace of mind that things were under control (54 percent), keeping projects moving along (53 percent), avoiding coming back to extra work (47 percent) and preventing colleagues from feeling undue stress (34 percent).
“When possible, use your vacation time to its fullest potential by unplugging from the office,” said Michael Steinitz, executive director for Accountemps. “This helps you come back to work recharged and with fresh perspective.”
Steinitz noted it’s not always feasible for some employees to completely disconnect. “The reality is, many professionals, either by necessity or choice, will check in with the office to ensure things are under control and projects are moving forward in their absence,” he said. “Employees who feel the need to connect with work should set clear boundaries to minimize the time they spend attending to office duties.”
Additional findings from the Accountemps survey:
- Professionals plan to take an average of 10 vacation days this summer — unchanged from last year’s survey.
- Thirty percent of those surveyed said they plan to take more vacation days this summer compared to last year. Forty-one percent of workers between the ages of 18 and 34 plan on taking more time off, compared to 25 percent of workers ages 35 to 54 and only 16 percent of respondents 55 and over.
- Twelve percent of respondents plan to take fewer days off than they did last summer. Only 10 percent of male workers plan to take fewer days off, compared to 14 percent of female workers.
Accountemps offers four ways managers and professionals can unplug while on vacation:
- Promote the benefits of taking vacation. Managers should encourage their teams to disconnect during their time off to reap the full advantages of time away.
- Let colleagues know. Once your vacation request has been approved, give key contacts advanced notice about your time off. Wrap up projects and appoint a team member to handle your daily tasks in your absence.
- Set boundaries. If you feel compelled to check in, set a schedule for the brief times you’ll be accessible and note it in your out-of-office reply.
- Get back on track. Upon your return, schedule a quick meeting with your manager or team to get caught up on what you may have missed and what projects are a priority.
About the Research
The survey was developed by Accountemps and conducted by an independent research firm. It includes responses from more than 1,000 U.S. workers 18 years of age or older and employed in office environments.
View a slideshow of the full survey results.
SOURCE Accountemps
Edited by: G. Davila
