WASHINGTON – Americans are skipping vacations, a study finds.
But not taking the time off might not be a good idea.
Kelton Research for Radisson Hotels surveyed 1,000 workers and found that 65 percent had unused vacation days by the end of 2011, the Chicago Tribune reports. In addition, nearly one-third of respondents said their list of tasks to do kept them from getting away.
“It’s not good for the employee, and it’s not good for the employer,” author Paul Spiegelman, who speaks and writes on employee morale issues, tells WTOP.
A good employer will encourage time off because the most productive employees are the ones who lead balanced lives, Spiegelman says.
“Any reasonable employer respects the fact that everyone needs time off because they think you’re going to be better for it,” says Spiegelman.
Additionally, Spiegelman says if an employee is worried about job security and workload, they shouldn’t be — all in all, taking a few days off won’t make a difference in the long run.
Spiegelman says vacations benefit “mental health, physical health, overall happiness — it’s the right thing to do.”
WTOP’s Randi Martin contributed to this report. Follow WTOP on Twitter.
(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)
