Gone, but not forgotten. Laptops, pagers, cell phones, personal digital assistants and BlackBerry devices have become “e-leashes” that virtually tether some employees to the office even while they are supposedly on vacation.
And while only 9 percent of 6,823 private-sector employees surveyed said their employers expect them to check voicemail or e-mail while on vacation, others might do so anyway.
Information technology workers are most likely to work while on vacation, with 36 percent checking in with the office on their days off, followed by sales workers (32 percent) and banking/finance workers (29 percent).
Fourteen percent of workers feel guilty about being on vacation instead of at work, a feeling most prevalent (20 percent) among those ages 25 to 34 who are trying to move up the corporate ladder.
Other findings from a CareerBuilder.com survey, conducted from Feb. 15 to March 6, 2007:
• 70 percent of workers receive two weeks or more of paid vacation, and nearly 25 percent receive four or more weeks.
• 12 percent do not receive a paid vacation.
• 9 percent lie to their employers, telling them they can’t be reached while on vacation.
• 20 percent won’t take a vacation in 2007, 27 percent will take five days or less, and 9 percent will limit themselves to weekend getaways.
There are a host of reasons why employees feel compelled to forgo a vacation or obsessively check in,
Some may fear if they are gone and things go smoothly, it will send a message that they aren’t needed,
However, the opposite can actually be true. If one prepares in advance and anticipates issues, it can positively reflect on your management and organization skills.”