Randstad Finds Millennials Don’t Stop Working on Vacation

That's not a valid work email account. Please enter your work email (e.g. you@yourcompany.com)
Please enter your work email
(e.g. you@yourcompany.com)

millennials work while on vacation According to a new Randstad engagement study, more than four in 10 workers check in with work while on vacation, and one-quarter of employees feel guilty if they actually take all their vacation days.

Major takeaways from the study include:

• 42 percent of employees feel obligated to check in with work while on vacation; and

• 26 percent feel guilty using all of their allotted vacation time.

Employees’ conflict about whether or not to disengage when given the opportunity becomes more pronounced in light of Randstad data that show 67 percent of workers report feeling more productive after returning from vacation. When the data was extracted by generation, the study reinforced previous research that shows Millennials are the most inclined to stay connected pretty much around the clock, around the calendar.

Some 52 percent of Millennials said they felt obligated to check email outside of work, far outpacing other generations, and another 40 percent said they would feel guilty if they took all the vacation days they were allowed to take. Baby Boomers were at the other end of the spectrum: 18 percent said they would feel guilty about taking all available vacation time.

“Gen Y was born into the era of technology and as a group is more comfortable than Baby Boomers or Gen X with being constantly connected in both their work and personal lives,” said Jim Link, chief HR officer at Randstad North America. “As Gen Y and incoming Gen Z employees populate the workforce, companies will need to create protocols that thoughtfully address work/life boundaries to meet both organizational goals and employee needs and tendencies.”

The study also showed that 45 percent of all respondents believe they should be responding to email outside of work hours, and even more 47 percent feel guilty if they take a sick day and don’t do any work.

 

By Joshua Bjerke