Posted by admin | Posted in Employee Wellness, wellness program | Posted on 28-11-2010
The problem of presenteeism – workforce showing up at work but taking a “mental vacation day” – isn’t going away any time soon.
A recent survey found the average worker has three unused vacation days at the end of the year. But 33 percent admit that they sometimes take “unofficial” vacation days of a half-day or more.
Not surprisingly, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve day and December 26 rank one of the highest “presentee” days among businesses (in particular in the white-collar realm) that remain open on those days.
In terms of the expanded question of presenteeism, what’s keeping people from using their vacation time as it’s intended? Top answers –
• supervisors frown on staff taking vacation time
• There’s too much work to make up after using vacation time, and
• individuals want to “reserve” time in case of an emergency.
On the flip side, many folks who take vacation time have trouble leaving work behind. One worker in four admits to checking work e-mail and/or voicemail while on vacation.
And 29 percent say they have trouble forgetting about work-related stress, even when they’re using paid time off.
Among all industrialized nations, U.S. personnel receive the fewest yearly vacation days – 14 on average.