Nearly 1 in 4 Workers Didn’t Take a Single Day Off Last Year

A new FlexJobs report found that nearly one in four employees didn’t take a single vacation day in the past year, even though most had paid time off available.

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Taking a vacation is an important way for employees to relax and recharge, but many workers still hesitate to take time off, according to a new report from FlexJobs.

While most employees have access to paid time off (PTO), 23% didn’t use a single vacation day in the past year, based on a survey of more than 3,000 U.S. workers.

FlexJobs career expert Keith Spencer says there are several reasons people hold back from taking their earned time away. Workload is a leading factor: 43% of respondents said they have too much work to justify taking a break, and 30% worry about falling behind if they do.

“I think a lot of teams are being asked to do more with less, so there might just be kind of a lack of coverage if your team is understaffed,” Spencer explains. “People might be feeling sort of guilty about leaving their team with a burden while they’re gone.”

Team culture also plays a major role. Nearly 29% of workers said they feel guilty or pressured to appear fully committed to their jobs, and 25% believe their manager would react negatively if they requested a full week off.

“You might be getting negative signals from your manager or leadership in general,” Spencer says. “When you request time off, their nonverbals might make it seem like it’s kind of a pain and not really accepted.”

The survey also found that more than one-third of employees don’t feel they have enough PTO to take a meaningful vacation. Even those with unlimited PTO policies often hesitate to use them, Spencer adds, due to unclear expectations. “Workers are left wondering, ‘Well, is it really unlimited? When am I allowed to take it?'” he says.

Taking time off, however, can actually improve job performance. “People who are getting enough rest are more focused and more creative in their work. They tend to be more resilient when challenges do arise,” Spencer says.

Avoiding rest, on the other hand, can lead to burnout. “You see stress levels rise, you see an overall reduced mental well-being, you have lower engagement, lower morale,” he notes.

Spencer encourages workers to advocate for their right to use PTO, reminding them that it’s a benefit they’ve earned. “Your PTO is part of your compensation package. It’s not a favor your organization is doing for you,” he says. “You should be willing to advocate for that time you need off, that time you need to rest.”

He also recommends giving managers advance notice and being clear about vacation plans. For those whose supervisors aren’t supportive of time off, Spencer suggests framing the request around productivity. “If your PTO is coming after a really intense time period in your year, then you could say, ‘Hey, I really think I need to recharge a bit before we jump into the next thing,'” he says.

Even in workplaces that don’t strongly encourage vacations, Spencer says taking time off can set a positive example for others. “It’s definitely clear that more rest is not just a benefit to your team, it’s a benefit to your entire organization,” he says.

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