Along with flip flops and suntan lotion, U.S. workers are packing laptops, mobile phones and pagers in their suitcases this year.
Thirty-three percent of workers say they will be checking in with the office while on holiday, according to CareerBuilder.com’s annual survey. Twenty-two percent of workers say their bosses expect them to stay in touch, up from 16 percent in 2004.
One-half of workers report they feel a great deal of stress on the job, often leading to burnout. Although nearly four-in-ten workers say they need at least three to five days to feel refreshed and ready to return to the office, 17 percent say they are taking a holiday of 2 days or less or no holiday at all – similar to last year’s findings.
While time away from the office is an effective way to relieve tension and recharge for the tasks ahead, 35 percent of workers say they feel still stressed about work even when they are on holiday.
“Technology has created an e-leash of sorts where workers can be reached anytime anywhere,” said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder.com. “One-in-ten workers report they check in with the office while on vacation at least once a day. This defeats the whole purpose of getting away and spending quality time with family and friends.” Twenty-one percent of workers say working while on holiday causes issues with their family and friends.
Haefner offers the following tips to make the most of your time off and leave the office at home:
– Start early. Give plenty of notice for holiday dates.
– Schedule holidays before large projects begin or after they are completed.
– If required, cross-train other workers to help out in your absence.
– Alert co-workers to your absence by giving an alternative contact via voicemail or automated response on email. If people know you are not checking in for a week or two, they are inclined to seek help from someone else while you are gone.
– If your job is mission-critical, leave a number for emergency use only.
– Set an example: supervisors should lead the way by taking scheduled holidays without workplace interruptions.
The CareerBuilder.com survey, “Vacation 2005,” was conducted from February 24, 2005 to March 5, 2005 and included more than 1,700 workers.
According to a poll of 1,575 workers by Hudson, twenty-three percent of U.S. employees holidaying this summer will check their phone messages or e-mail most days while on holiday, Interestingly, 34 percent say they’ll return to the office either more stressed or just as stressed out as before the getaway.
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