65 pc of US workers feel they don't take enough vacation
The ‘American dream’ might be the most sought-after aspiration throughout the world, but all the toil behind it also deducts vacation days from the calendar. France, on the other hand, takes almost a month off every year, yet even that is not enough.
Globally, 62 pc of the world’s workers say they are vacation deprived, while 85 pc of workers reported a more positive attitude after a time off.
According to American travel company Expedia, which has just published its 24th annual Vacation Deprivation Report, roughly half, or 53 pc of Americans don’t plan on using all their time off this year, despite receiving just 12 days off annually, the fewest of any country surveyed.
Expedia says its report has analysed time-off trends around the world for 24 years, and while American vacation deprivation or the feeling of not having enough time off, has now hit an 11-year high at 65 pc, rates are down in many other parts of the world.
Lessons in Leisure
The report has found that American and Japanese workers take a similar number of days off each year, about 11 and 12 respectively, but Japan boasts the lowest vacation deprivation levels in the world, accounting for 53 pc.
According to the report, France and Hong Kong take nearly a month off annually while Americans struggle to use up just 12 days.
And, compared to the rest of the world, Americans are nearly twice as likely to go a year or more between vacations, about 32 pc versus 18 pc globally.
Of the 53 pc of Americans that did not use all their time off last year, the top reason why was “life is too busy to plan or go on vacation,” the survey cites.
“We may not be able to control how many days off we get, but the research begs the question: What can we learn from other countries that will help Americans break this horrible habit of not using the time off we do have,” says Melanie Fish, Head of Expedia Group Brands Public Relations.
“In Japan, people take time off every month instead of just twice a year. For the French, not even a full month of vacation feels like enough time. Clearly there is a lot for the US to borrow from, whether it is spreading your PTO (Personal Time Off) throughout the year or prioritising rest on your next vacation,” Fish adds.
Holiday Habits From Around the World
Japan
Takeaways from the least vacation-deprived country in the world. The survey finds that Japanese respondents are seven times more likely to vacation monthly compared to US workers, at about 32 pc versus 5 pc, despite only taking one additional day off annually.
Their strategy is to take advantage of federal holidays or office and school closures to schedule frequent, short getaways that allow for a break from the routine and a quick refresh between longer trips, without dipping into precious leaves, the survey found.
The survey says that Americans rank among the lowest in terms of prioritising rest and relaxation during their trips, accounting for about 61 pc, while it is the number one goal for 84 pc of Japanese travellers, perhaps contributing to lower feelings of deprivation.
France
The survey says that no one vacations quite like the French, taking the most days off of any country globally. Around one in five Americans or 19 pc did not use all their time off in 2023 because they were saving up for a big trip, then often end up leaving days unused.
French respondents, however, tend to shy away from the “big trip,” with nearly a third or 30 pc opting to spread their days off evenly throughout the year instead. Taking the pressure off a big annual trip can be a time, money and leave saver for deprived US travellers.
Despite having a month off annually, France still reports even higher levels of vacation deprivation 69 pc than in the US. That is because, overwhelmingly, 93 pc French workers believe time off is a basic right, versus 83 pc of the US, and 94 pc of French and 86 pc of Americans believe that it is critical to overall health and wellbeing. The distinctly French emphasis on the fundamental right to rest is one to adopt everywhere.
Other Time-Off Champions Around the World
Hong Kong was the only country where respondents did not leave vacation days unused but instead took more time off on average than they were allocated.
The survey cites that 15 pc vow to do it again in 2024, ranking the highest globally.
Coming in as the most vacation-deprived nation this year at about 84 pc, 77 pc of German travellers are motivated to make a change and more determined than ever to use all their time off in 2024, versus 47 pc of Americans.
“No one means to leave vacation days behind, but life gets busy and it is the research, planning and booking part that slows us down. Some 53 pc say they feel overwhelmed by the process, but the good news is in 2024 there is tech that makes it easier. If it is flight prices keeping you up at night, price tracking and price drop protection in the app help members book without the stress and get to the fun part, vacation,” says Fish.
Expedia says it first commissioned Vacation Deprivation Report in 2000 to examine the work-life balance of people worldwide. This year the study was conducted online among 11,580 respondents across the US, UK, Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore from March 26 to April 3, 2024.
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