The vast majority of employees are impatiently awaiting the summer holidays to take a step back from their professional life. But this is not the case for everyone, especially the youngest. Indeed, members of Generation Z are more likely than their elders to have studious vacations.
In any case, this is what the latest edition of LinkedIn’s Workforce Confidence Index* confirms. We learn that young newcomers to the job market are reluctant to take days off. In fact, 58% of Gen Z Americans plan to take a vacation and “completely disconnect from work” in the coming months, compared to 62% for the entire American population. Millennials and baby boomers are much more inclined than their younger counterparts to want to take advantage of the rest days provided for by law or by their contract in the near future (64 (% of cases).
Take a vacation this summer…no thanks
But how to explain that young working people are reluctant to temporarily leave the office? Contrary to what one might think, the main reason is, for a large part of them, psychological and not economic. Thus, 35% of Americans belonging to generation Z say they feel a sense of guilt at the idea of taking vacations, compared to 30% of millennials and 32% of generation X employees. Baby boomers seem to be more spared from this phenomenon than their colleagues since only 22% do not take leave for this reason.
The economic context, marked by inflation and the crisis in the cost of living, is also one of the main drivers that push some American employees not to take vacations. And this, regardless of their age. Some 30% of representatives of generations Z, Y (the famous millennials) and X say they have no plans to take any days off in the coming weeks, “due to the current economic situation”.
Rest is essential
In the United States, this phenomenon cannot be equated with a simple generational conflict. Only 48% of workers nationwide take full advantage of their paid vacation, according to the results of a Pew Research Center survey of 5,900 Americans. However, many specialists point to the need to arrange downtime, away from work, to rest and avoid long-term burn-out.
Slide: 30 quotes that make you want to go on vacation
*LinkedIn’s Workforce Confidence Index* was conducted among 9,461 American professionals between June 3 and July 14.
