Nonprofit HR’s Blog

Does your staff get enough time off — completely away from the job? If you do provide an appropriate amount of time off for your staff chances are they are not using it.

Though American workers were given four more vacation days this year than last — an average of 17 days total — 37 percent said they will not take all of their vacation days this year, up from 34 percent last year, according to Expedia’s 10th annual “vacation deprivation” survey.

The same survey showed that 55 percent of workers come back from time off without feeling rejuvenated, and others struggle to cope with work-related stress while they’re away. In a separate survey, staffing firm Robert Half International found that 69 percent of financial executives check in with the office at least once or twice a week while on vacation.  The Expedia survey backs up the Robert Half International report by finding that nearly a third of the 1,000 respondents surveyed said they check work e-mail or voice mail while vacationing, up from nearly a quarter last year.

It’s kind of sad and a contributing factor to numerous other problems in our society (think stress, obesity, etc.) So what is a do-gooder employer to do to get staffers to “unplug.” One Denver business owner thinks cash might help.