Escape on Vacation
SLIPPERY ROCK — If you are one of the more than half of Americans who left vacation days on the table in the past, experts want you to rethink your ways.
A number of studies have shown that taking time away from the job can have physical and psychological health benefits. People who take vacations have lower stress, less risk of heart disease, a better outlook on life and more motivation to achieve goals.
Yet despite these obvious benefits, according to research by the U. S. Travel Association, a nonprofit organization that supports the travel industry, more than half of Americans didn't use all their paid-time off in 2018 and a quarter of all paid-time off days went unused.
Those numbers reflect an interesting trend. From 1978-2000, Americans burned through an average of 20.3 vacation days per year, a figure that dropped to 18.1 from 2005-10. In 2018, the average American used just 17.4 vacation days despite earning more time off, an average of 23.9 days in 2018 versus 23.2 in 2017. Overall, a total of 768 million days went unused in 2018, 236 million of which were completely forfeited.
“Unsurprisingly, individuals that skip vacations suffer from being overworked, overwhelmed and overwrought,” said Lolly Daskal, president and CEO of Lead From Within, a proprietary leadership program engineered to be a catalyst for leaders who want to enhance performance and make a meaningful difference in their companies, their lives, and the world.
“Even among those who actually do go on vacation, three in five admitted to doing some work. A quarter were contacted by a coworker while they were on vacation, and 20 percent were contacted by their supervisor about a work-related issue,” said Daskal.
According to a Gallup study, people who “always make time for regular trips” had a 68.4 score on the Gallup-Heathway's Well-Being Index, in comparison to a 51.4 Well-Being score for less frequent travelers.
One study found that three days after vacation, subjects' physical complaints, quality of sleep, and mood had improved as compared to before vacation. These gains were still present five weeks later, especially in those who had more personal time and overall satisfaction during their vacation.
That's a message Marcia Kotek, benefits and transactions manager in Slippery Rock University's Human Resources Office, hopes employees hear.
“We want mentally healthy employees because well-rested employees are more productive,” Kotek said. “Everyone needs a break, and we are lucky to have generous leave benefits that are there for employees to use.”
Paid-time off varies for SRU staff depending on labor agreements and the number of years of service, but Kotek said on average, staff people receive about 20 days off per year.
Among SRU's 475 staff employees, there were 492 unused vacation days in 2019 that rolled over to 2020 because the employees have exceeded the allowable balance of 45 days. If left unused, those days will be converted to sick leave after April 10.According to U.S. Travel Association surveys, people provide many reasons for not taking time off: that there's always more work to be done; the pressure to meet goals can be intense; it will create more work for others; and they don't relish facing an unbearable pileup when they return. However, experts say taking time off may be the absolute best thing you can do for yourself and your job.There's also the economic impact.“There has been a trend toward Americans taking shorter vacations and three-day weekends, which still helps the tourism industry thrive,” said Jim Dombrosky, SRU assistant professor of hospitality, event management and tourism. Dombrosky worked as a marketing manager for a touring company before becoming a professor. “You also have travelers from Europe who would take 10 days to two weeks off, but Americans usually take one week maximum.”According to the Pennsylvania Department of Economic and Community Development, Pennsylvania's travel industry generates more than $43.3 billion annually from visitor spending and supports more than half a million jobs. Each year, Pennsylvania hosts more than 204 million travelers from across the United States, nearly 1.3 million visitors from Canada, and 1 million from overseas markets. Almost 10 million travelers visit the state's national park sites alone each year, and their spending and that of all visitors contribute significantly to the state' economy.Justin Zackal is a communication specialist with Slippery Rock University.
