America Is No-Vacation Nation

August 23, 2013
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Americans as a society generally don’t take vacations. While many of us would love to travel, we live in an economy where job security is rare and most of us live in fear that if we take any time off work, our job may not be waiting for us upon our return. We live on part-time and temporary job contracts where we don’t always know where our next source of income will come from. Our work culture prevents us from taking long vacations abroad and instills within us a sense of guilt for seeking the simple pleasure of time away from the office.

Moreover, America is the only developed nation that doesn’t legally guarantee any paid vacation time for its workers. In a recent study, The Centre for Economic and Policy Research, found that in the absence of government standards, almost one in four Americans have no paid vacation (23%) and no paid holidays (23%) and the average worker in the private sector receives only 10 days of paid vacation per year. Contrast this with European countries where most employees are legally entitled to at least 20 days of paid vacation per year.

What’s more, here in the US we work considerably longer hours than other developed nations. Take The Netherlands, for example, where in many cities, banks are only open four days a week and a three-day weekend is the norm for the service industry. It’s quite the reverse on our soil where it is not uncommon for corporate employees to work 15-hour days some even falling asleep at the job.

While we are conditioned to believe that such commitment to our jobs is necessary, honorable and demonstrative of dedication, in reality, this work culture is in fact causing our society a lot more harm than good.  According to William Chalmers, author of “ America’s Vacation Deficit Disorder: Who Stole Your Vacation?” our failure to take vacations is costing US businesses and taxpayers over a trillion dollars a year and is shortening the lives of Americans. Chalmers explains in his book: 

“Workplace stress alone exceeds $300 billion; direct employer costs involved in employee turnover runs about 150% of annual compensation rates, multiplied by 3.3% of U.S. employment figures that show that workers regularly leave their jobs monthly. Chronic workplace absenteeism costs are estimated to be $153 billion a year in lost productivity; … presenteeism alone costs $2,000 per year per employee and … the collective lost opportunity costs of presenteeism are estimated to be 7.5 times more costly to employers than absenteeism … Added together you’re looking at a number in the ball park of $1.5 trillion,” he wrote.

Moreover, Chalmers asserts that numerous studies show that people who do not take vacations are more at risk of stress, job burnout, depression and premature death:

“Taking a one or two week vacation is actually good for business and the U.S. economy because it allows the individual to recharge, revitalize and come back to the workforce refreshed and more creative and ready to work. Large understanding corporations do provide vacation time because they realize that employees are more likely to stay in their job if granted vacation thereby avoiding astronomical job turnover costs in having to replace staff,” the founder of The Global Scavenger Hunt told Alternet.

In addition, a 2006 Ernst & Young study, found that employees who took more vacation time were not only more likely to stay with the firm but also received higher performance reviews. In fact, for each additional 10 hours an employee took of vacation time, performance review rose 8% the following year.

Republished from: AlterNet