Companies Face Time Off Backlog or Burnout

During a time when business professionals are juggling work and life responsibilities in tandem while logging longer workdays from home, 85% have barely touched their time off or haven’t taken a single day off all year long, according to a recent Office Pulse survey of 351 workers in the US and Canada.

We’re halfway through 2020 and just 6% of workers have used up half of their vacation time. A majority (54%) have used less than 10% of their time off. Nearly one in four admit they haven’t taken a single day off all year.

How does this stack up next to last year? Not surprisingly, most workers have taken less time off this year, compared to 2019.

Have you used more, less or the same amount of time as you did before the pandemic?

Lockdowns and travel restrictions have largely thwarted vacation plans, so it’s no surprise that workers have taken fewer days off this year. In fact, more than three-quarters of white-collar workers have had to cancel, modify or postpone their travel plans this summer. Those that are still taking a vacation are planning trips closer to home or at home, meaning they don’t need to plan for as many travel days.

Endless Stress

However, the vast majority of workers are using their time off in a different way this year, most likely due to pandemic stress. 42% of business professionals are taking mental health days, ‘Just to get a breather from work,’ as one respondent described. As layoffs created heavier workloads for those left behind and employees struggled with social distancing while taking a crash course in working remotely, stress became a natural byproduct.

“With the unique challenges and added stressors in everyone’s lives this year, it’s more important than ever that employees take the time to focus on their mental health. Leaders need to set the tone by not only supporting, but encouraging employees to take time away from work to rest and recharge,” says Captivate’s HR Director Annie Rosencrans. “Communication is key. Check in on your team members regularly, and make sure they know that their well-being is your priority.”

Studies have shown that time off lowers stress and improves productivity, so its both morally and financially smart for companies to encourage employees to take a break. In fact, workplace stress causes US businesses to lose up to $300B a year.

Other insights include:

This significant time-off backlog could mean trouble for companies as business picks up in the second half of the year – with waves of workers trying to use up their time before losing it and burned-out business professionals struggling to keep up with the workload.