Why Aren’t Women Taking Their Vacation Days?

• 46% of workers revealed they take less time off than they are entitled to, with more women than men falling into this category.
• Fears over job security appear to be the most common reason women forgo paid leave.
• Not taking time off from work can harm individuals (and ultimately organizations), yet evidence indicates that there is still too much stigma around paid vacation time.

Evidence shows that people experience less burnout and an overall improvement in their mental health when they take short breaks from work, yet almost half of American workers do not take their full leave entitlement. A large number of these vacation-shy workers are women. Many cite guilt, stigma, and the fear of jeopardizing career opportunities as reasons for giving up their leave.

What Does The Research Say?

According to new research, 46% of U.S. workers take less time off than they are entitled to. The US comes in second place  — behind Micronesia (an archipelago in Oceania) — for the lowest number of paid vacation days workers receive. The U.S. is also the only industrialized nation which does not offer workers four weeks of paid leave (a benefit separate from vacation leave). 

A recent job satisfaction survey revealed that 43% of all U.S. workers feel guilty for leaving coworkers with additional tasks when they take paid leave. This number rises to 53% for women aged 18 to 49 (there are also differences based on different levels of education and job categories). Unsurprisingly (given the number of women it employs), education is one of the industries with the highest numbers of employees not taking paid time off. The same survey indicates that 19% are concerned about the risk of reducing their career advancement opportunities, 16% fear losing their job, and 12% have felt discouraged by their employers from taking time off work. Most big technology and media companies such as Netflix, Google, Microsoft and Twitter are now offering unlimited paid time off — but the jury is still out on whether this offer encourages workers to take more paid leave.

Why Aren’t More Women Taking Time Off From Work?

In a recent Women at Work poll, 45% of women said they would quit their jobs for a better work-life balance. Another survey revealed that more women (58%) than men (49%) believe paid time off is extremely important. These statistics contradict what we now know about the number of women taking their vacation entitlement (significantly less than their male counterparts). There are some core explanations for this contradiction, though. Women are more likely to be impacted by feelings of guilt, concerns about appearing less committed and the fear of jeopardizing their opportunities for career advancement. 

The main difference in leave-taking behavior between men and women can be attributed to workplace culture. Within companies that do not encourage taking time off (or even discourage it), employees often worry that taking a short break from work will prevent them from advancing in their careers. The concerns around job security affect women more than men, and the impact intensifies for women who work in male-dominated environments.

Guilt is another reason why women do not take paid vacations. Because of entrenched gender stereotypes, working women often worry about neglecting their parental care responsibilities — yet when they take time off, they feel guilty about leaving their colleagues with a mountain of additional work. Many women become caught up in this cycle of guilt, which can have a long-term impact on their physical and mental health. Some women also worry that taking time off will render them dispensable, or convey the impression that they are not committed to their roles. Unsurprisingly, younger women (Millennials and Gen-Z) with less tenure are most prone to work martyrdom, which includes sacrificing time off.

Creating a Positive Time-Off Culture

The U.S. is renowned for its culture of not taking time off from work. A societal attitude shift towards time off is needed, but in the meantime, employers should accept more responsibility for creating a positive culture that encourages paid time off. A positive time-off culture is one in which there is no place for “vacation shaming” and “time-off martyrdom” is actively discouraged. Paid time off is a right, not a privilege. No employee should feel the need to seek approval to take the benefits they have earned. 

In a recent Allwork.Space podcast, Angela Howard, CEO of Call for Culture (a workplace culture consulting company), argued that employees should be encouraged (and empowered) to manage their work schedules and vacation plans autonomously. This practice would benefit many women who often feel guilty for requesting leave. According to Howard, people need to be trusted to plan their work around when they are most productive and schedule breaks when they know they will need them most. Companies should also consider implementing inclusive, accessible and innovative policies around time off. New and improved policies will encourage all employees, including women, to benefit from their vacation leave. 

The future of work in the U.S. will hopefully be one in which taking time off is no longer frowned upon. The practice of work martyrdom that has been allowed (and enabled) to pervade workplaces needs to be replaced by a culture that celebrates and values the practice of taking time off.