Young US Workers Feel Guilty about Taking Vacations

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Younger workers in the United States tend to feel guilty about taking vacations, according to a new report. Online travel agency Priceline commissioned Savanta, a market research firm, to survey 1,000 full-time employees about their vacation habits. Participants included workers from the Baby Boomer generation, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z. The oldest generation—the Baby Boomer—was born between 1946 and 1964, while the youngest—Generation Z—was born between 1997 and 2010. Results showed that US workers do not use up their paid vacation days, which amount to more than 10 per year. One of the reasons behind this is the guilt that they feel when taking days off work. The study further revealed that the younger generations were more likely to report feeling uneasy about making the most of their paid vacation days. Generation Z workers experienced this the most, followed by the Millennials. The younger generations also said that they feel obligated to check on work through their e-mails or phones while on vacation. Those from Generation X and the Baby Boomers did not report as much guilt. In addition, the study revealed that among all workers, guilt is present within a few months of starting a new job. More than 60% of the participants reported that it takes them at least six months to feel comfortable with using their paid vacations. Some even wait a full year before taking any vacation. Priceline’s Chief People Officer Liz Dente said that this should not be the case. She believes that companies should be the ones being pressured to let workers completely disconnect from work during their vacations.