Dive Brief:
- Half (49%) of workers have taken or considered taking a “quiet vacation” — secret vacation time without the use of paid time off — and 14% have lied to their managers about their whereabouts during this time, according to an August report from Monster.
- Why do workers do it? Twenty-six percent worked remotely and didn’t think it mattered, 20% were overwhelmed and needed a break, 15% didn’t want to lose out on pay by officially taking PTO, and 11% didn’t think their managers would notice.
- Among those who haven’t taken a quiet vacation, most say they’re concerned about their job security or position at the company. Others cited guilt, not wanting to let their co-workers down, not wanting to lose out on pay and concern their managers would find out as reasons they haven’t taken a quiet vacation.
Dive Insight:
While quiet vacationing appears to have significant allure, it’s possible it’s more of a fantasy than a reality for most; Monster’s findings include those who have “considered” taking a quiet vacation, but Resume Builder, which surveyed 1,000 corporate workers in May, found that 1 in 10 respondents said they actually had.
The trend — and responses to surveys relating to it — provides some revealing insights into worker feelings regarding PTO and their workload.
Anxiety and burnout appears to be a significant contributor to workers’ PTO decisions. Twenty-six percent of workers who took a quiet vacation said doing so reduced their anxiety and improved their overall well-being, according to Monster.
At the same time, anxiety leads people to avoid asking for PTO, answers to both surveys indicated. One-third of workers told Resume Builder they took a quiet vacation because they were too anxious to ask for time off, and 30% said they believed taking a vacation day would make them look less hardworking.
Lack of engagement and boredom with work appear to be contributing factors for other workers, as indicated by those who didn’t think their manager would notice or that “it would matter.”
Research shows that employers tend to significantly overestimate employee engagement. HR pros and supervisors can increase engagement by improving career development opportunities, clarifying expectations, and approaching work arrangements thoughtfully, experts have said.
Employers also may be able to cut down on quiet vacations by approving time off requests and encouraging workers’ to use their time — even by exploring creative approaches like minimum time off.