Overwhelmed America: Why Don't We Use Our Paid Time Off?

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Overwhelmed America: Why Don’t We Use Our Earned Leave?
August 2014
As prepared by:
GfK Public Affairs & Corporate Communications
July 2014

Table of Contents
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3 - Research Objectives and Research Methodology
4 - Research Objectives
5 - Research Methodology
6 - Executive Summary
7 - Standout Data
9 - Key Thematics
12 - Detailed Findings
13 - Context and Landscape
27 - The Logistics and Reality of Taking Paid Time Off
34 - Benefits of Taking Paid Time Off
38 - Messages that Motivate Taking and Approving Paid Time Off
41 - Senior Business Leader Findings

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Research Objectives and Research Methodology

Research Objectives
GfK set out to answer the following questions:
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Are employees fully aware of their organization’s leave policy, the total days of leave they have available and their days used at any
given time?
How does the understanding and utilization of earned leave differ among the C-suite, middle managers and front-line workers?
How many of barriers exist in employees’ own mindsets? How do these affect decisions to use their earned leave?
Are there any remaining vestiges of the Great Recession impacting employee leave – job security, high unemployment, workloads?
When employees take their time, how do they use it? (e.g., sick days, vacation, family activities/travel, home improvement projects)
What are the outcomes for workers? When and how often have they been promoted? What type of bonus, if any, have they received?
Moreover, how do workers feel about their work-life balance, personal relationships, overall mood and outlook, health and wellness?
Do top leadership and middle managers send consistent messages to their employees about using earned leave?
Do these messages encourage workers to take time off? Do they recognize or perceive the signals they are sending?
What actions could employers take to motivate employees to take time off?
Do managers change the way they feel about their managers and direct reports subordinates when they take their earned leave?
Does it change their own personal mix of responsibilities while they are gone?

Research Methodology
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Part One: Focus Groups GfK conducted a series of two focus groups in Baltimore, Maryland. One group
consisted of full time workers who are compensated with earned leave, and one
consisted of group among managers, directors, and vice presidents who have
direct reports who must get their permission to use their earned leave.
Part Two: Survey GfK then conducted a survey of 1,303 American workers, age 18+, nationwide
among those working 35 hours or more a week who receive paid time off (PTO)
using GfK’s KnowledgePanel®, including 235 senior business leaders. The
survey was conducted June 20-30, 2014. The data were weighted and scaled to
reflect Current Population Survey figures. The margin of error for workers
overall is +/-2.71%, and +/-6.39% for the senior business leader sample. These
data were weighted and scaled to ensure that sample’s composition reflects that
of the actual population of American adults working 35 hours a week or more.

Standout Data – What You Need to Know
1. Importance of Taking PTO and PTO Policy Context
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The importance of taking
PTO is unquestioned among
American workers, as there
is near universal recognition
of its significance.
96%
4%
Lose it
26%
Don't
know
4%
A quarter of
workers say their
companies have a
“Use It or Lose It”
PTO policy.
Can roll over,
bank or be
paid out
69%
2. However, there are a host of barriers preventing workers from using their PTO.
Four in ten workers are
leaving their days of PTO
unused.
Easy
Company controls it
It’s not easy for
nearly four in ten
workers to take the
PTO they have. 17%
20%
62%
Neither easy nor
difficult
Difficult
Over three in ten say that
they are not the ones with
ultimate control of their
PTO.
69%
31%
I control it
Two-thirds of workers
are receiving negative,
mixed, or no messages
13%
about taking PTO from
6%
their company. 32%
48%
Neither encourages nor discourages taking PTO
Sends mixed messages
Discourages taking PTO
Encourages taking PTO
67%
37%

Standout Data – What You Need to Know
3. Additional Challenges Among Senior Business Leaders
4. Strategies to Help Overcome the Obstacles
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3%
14%
26% 24%
14%
19%
Once a week Once or
twice a
month
Once every
quarter
Two to three
times a year
Once a year Never
One-third of senior business
leaders never or only once a year
communicate the merits of taking
PTO to direct reports.
33%
Nearly three in ten senior
business leaders refrain from
characterizing approving PTO
requests as easy. 8%
20%
72%
Easy
Neither
easy nor
Difficult
28%
1. Start the conversation. 2. “Use it or Lose it” policies are motivating.
Eight in ten workers say that if
their boss fully supported them
and encouraged them to take
their time they would be very or
somewhat likely to take more of
their PTO.
Roughly five out of six workers who
work at a company with a “Use It or
Lose It” policy use ALL of the leave
available to them. Only 48% of
workers who can roll over, bank or
be paid out for their unused time
use all of their leave.
“Use it or Lose it” Policy
84%
Can Roll Over,
Bank or Be Paid
Out Policy
48%
15%
48%
Use all Don’t use all Use all Don’t use all

Key Thematics
There is a striking disconnect between the importance that workers place on taking PTO, and the ease with which they feel
that they can take it. The central challenge is closing this gap.
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• 96% of workers say that taking PTO is important (51% “extremely important”).
• 37% refuse to characterize the process of taking PTO as “easy”.
• Four in ten workers do not take all of their PTO each year.
Corporate culture is a killer. Far too many employers do not encourage taking PTO (in policy and/or communications), and
senior business leaders send mixed signals about the importance and benefit of taking PTO.
• Only 32% of workers say that their employer encourages taking PTO.
• 33% of senior business leaders either say nothing (19%) or only discuss the merits of taking PTO once a year
(14%).
• 28% of senior business leaders either say it is difficult (8%) or neither easy/difficult to approve PTO requests
(20%).
• Over one-third of senior business leaders either agree or neither agree/disagree that taking all of your PTO
signals that workers are less dedicated (39%), less successful (35%), and less productive (38%).
• 54% workers can roll over PTO, 19% can be paid out, and 10% can bank PTO. Only 26% have “Use It or Lose It”
policies. Among this population, 84% use all of their PTO compared to 48% who use all among those who can roll
it over, bank it, or be paid out.

Key Thematics (continued)
The benefits of taking PTO are top-of-mind. The larger challenge is breaking down barriers to taking PTO.
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• Top benefits identified by workers of taking PTO include relaxing/recharging (90% agree), engaging in fun activities (88%),
and that PTO makes them a happier person (85%). The top motivators/messages for taking PTO are that it helps workers
de-stress and avoid burning out (88% likely to take more PTO), gives workers a chance to reset and take a break from
colleagues (84%), and that their boss fully supports their taking PTO (80%).
• The top barriers to taking PTO are a “mountain of work” (40% difficult to take PTO), nobody else can do the work (35%),
cannot afford it (33%), and taking time gets harder to do the higher up you go (33%). This is felt more acutely among senior
business leaders.
Workers who are happy with their jobs report an environment where bosses and co-workers encourage taking PTO;
workers plan and coordinate PTO and people talk about their PTO experience when returning to work.
• People coordinate with coworkers to have coworkers cover their responsibilities when taking paid time off: 71% for workers
who are happy with their jobs versus 64% for those who are unhappy with their jobs.
• After coming back to work, people talk about their experience and its benefits: 73% for happy workers versus 66% for
unhappy workers .
• Boss and co-workers encourage taking PTO (61% and 65% for happy workers, respectively, versus 32% and 52% for
unhappy workers, respectively).

Key Thematics (continued)
Workers who characterize taking PTO as “easy” rate higher on mood and outlook, job satisfaction, personal finances,
professional success and personal relationships.
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• Among workers who say that it is easy to take PTO: 87% are happy with their job (versus 74% for those who say it is difficult
to take PTO); 90% are happy with their overall mood and outlook (versus 84%); 77% are happy with their personal financial
situation (versus 67%); 85% are happy with their professional success (versus 80%) and 79% are happy with their marriage/
relationship with a significant other (versus 75%)
Senior business leaders need support, not condemnation. As workers, they find it harder to take PTO and stay plugged in
during it which often leads to mixed messages for workers.
• Only 49% of senior business leaders say it is “easy” to take PTO (65% for employees).
• Senior business leaders think taking time off is harder the higher up you go (56% to 28% for employees), that nobody else
can do the work (54% to 31%), and that they would come back to a mountain of work (54% to 37%).
• 46% of senior business leaders responded to work emails while taking PTO (14% for employees); 22% spent time working
(8% for employees). Comparing these two numbers, some senior business leaders do not consider responding to email as
working.

There is almost universal recognition of the importance of taking PTO, and this sentiment is rooted in intensity, with a majority of
SOMEWHAT
IMPORTANT
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workers characterizing PTO’s significance as “extremely important”.
Importance of Taking PTO
96%
96% 95%
51% 52% 46%
28% 27% 32%
16% 16% 16%
3% 3% 4%
1% 1% 1%
4%
4% 5%
Q13. How important is using your paid time off to you personally? (Darker colors used to indicate intensity).
EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT
VERY
IMPORTANT
NOT VERY
IMPORTANT
NOT AT ALL
IMPORTANT
TOTAL EMPLOYEES SENIOR BUSINESS
LEADERS

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The perceived importance of taking time off does not translate into workers maximizing the PTO available to them.
Roughly one-quarter of workers took 9 days or fewer last year.
16%
16%
15%
22%
23%
19%
38%
37%
Q10. In 2013, how many days of paid time off did you take, including vacation time and personal days?
44%
19%
19%
20%
4%
4%
2%
25 or more days
20-24 days
10-19 days
1-9 days
None
2013 PTO Use
TOTAL
EMPLOYEES
SENIOR BUSINESS
LEADERS

Furthermore, four in ten plan to leave some of their PTO unused this year. While few do not plan to use any of their PTO, one-tenth
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plans to use less than half of the PTO available to them.
59%
60%
55%
Q12. Earlier you mentioned that you have [INSERT ANSWER FROM Q4] of paid time off. In 2014, how many days of paid time off do you plan to take,
including vacation time and personal days? [ENTER NUMERIC.]
14%
13%
17%
15%
16%
11%
6%
5%
9%
3%
3%
5%
2%
3%
1%
All (100%)
Most (75%-99%)
At least half (50%-74%)
Some (25%-49%)
A little (1%-24%)
None (0%)
How Much of Your PTO Do You Plan to Take in 2014? Those Who Take All Their PTO
• Female senior business
leaders, workers over age
55, older women and non-college
educated women
are all more likely to take
all of their PTO.
• “Use it or Lose it” policies
also compel workers to take
all of their PTO, as 84% who
lose their unused PTO at
the end of the year plan to
take all of it.
• Those who use all of their
PTO report a higher degree
of happiness in their
personal relationships with
family/and or friends.
TOTAL
EMPLOYEES
SENIOR BUSINESS
LEADERS

Focus groups suggested that convincing workers to take all of their PTO was an impractical ask and that messaging efforts were
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better received when the goal was aimed at convincing workers to take more of their PTO instead of all of it.
Why Asking for All Doesn’t Work
• Employees felt that the prudent approach is to have some earned leave reserved for emergency situations, and that
exhausting all of your earned leave is both irresponsible and unsettling.
• Managers question the pragmatism and optics of spending what is tantamount to a month or more for many of them
away from work each year.
I don't agree with any of
these. Like, “Taking all your
time off” — like exhausting
all your leave — I don't agree
with that.
–Employee
I don’t think the word “all”
survived at all.
–Manager
You can save some. That’s too
much. Like I said, if you take too
much time off, all your work is
going to pile up, so if you did
take 44 days off, that’s the whole
month that you’re gone. You’ll
come back and they’re going to
fire you. You’re going to be in the
unemployment line.
–Manager
Some stuff you just want to
hold onto.
– Employee
Because in case of an
emergency — life is
unpredictable.
– Employee

Only 26% of workers are employed by companies with “Use it or Lose it” policies, while nearly three-quarters can roll over, be paid
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out, or bank unused leave. Further, few workers are unaware of the options available to them.
What Happens to Unused PTO – Among Total
Q5. If you do not use all of your paid time off by the end of the year, which of the following does your company allow you to do? Please select all that apply.
Q11. How many days of paid time off did you permanently lose last year? These are days that were not rolled over, banked, or paid out.
54%
19%
10%
26%
4%
You can roll over some or all of it into the next year
You can be paid out for it
You can bank it (for things like maternity/paternity
leave, retirement)
You lose all of it at the end of the year
Don’t know
11% report having lost
PTO, 9% don’t know

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Half of those with PTO days that can be banked or rolled over is allowed to carry 11 or more days into the next calendar year.
20%
19%
21%
10%
30%
Q6. How many of your paid time off days are you permitted to roll over or bank into 2015?
1-5
6-10
11-15
16-20
21 or more
Number of PTO Days that Can Be Rolled Over or Banked
Among Those Who Can Roll Over or Bank PTO Days

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Nearly half of those with the ability to roll over days say that these days do not expire.
Q9. When do days off that you have rolled over expire?
19%
47%
2% 2%
21%
5% 5%
They do not Don't know
expire
After more
than two years
Within 6 Within 1 year Within 2 years
months of the
following year
Within 3
months of the
following year
Expiration Date of Rolled-Over PTO Days
Among Those Who Can Roll Over PTO Days

Roughly one-fifth of workers are able to roll over and bank PTO days without facing any limits. Among those who are subject to caps,
a majority do not face a cap unless they attempt to roll over or bank in excess of 11 days. One in five is unsure as to the limits of the
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policy in place.
Is There a Cap on the Number of PTO
Days that Can Be Rolled Over/Banked?
Among Those Who Can Roll Over/Bank PTO Days
62%
19% 18%
Yes No Don't know
Cap on PTO Days that Can Be Rolled Over/Banked
17%
16%
13%
12%
15%
24%
1-5
6-10
11-20
21-30
31-50
51 or more
Among Those Who Say Yes
Q7. Is there a cap on the total number of days that you can roll over or bank?
Q8. What is that cap on the number of days? [ENTER NUMERIC.]

The widespread acknowledgment that the importance of taking PTO is paramount is not matched by workers’ perceptions of ease
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when it comes to taking PTO. Rather, only six in ten find it easy to use their PTO and only one-third believes this strongly.
Ease of Taking PTO
TOTAL EMPLOYEES SENIOR BUSINESS LEADERS
Q15. Generally speaking, how easy or difficult is it for you to use your paid time off? (Darker colors used to indicate intensity.)
62%
17%
65%
14%
49%
32%
33%
20%
3%
34%
20%
2%
24%
19%
5%
Easy Neither Difficult Easy Neither Difficult Easy Neither Difficult
Utilizing PTO poses a
greater challenge to
senior business
leaders: a majority of
senior business leaders
(51%) either
characterize their
experience using PTO
as difficult or neither
easy nor difficult.
30% 31%
14% 12%
27%
25%

Over three in ten believe their employer retains ultimate control over their PTO. Workers who believe the company controls their PTO
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are more likely to be unhappy with the company for which they work.
TOTAL EMPLOYEES SENIOR BUSINESS LEADERS
Q18. Who ultimately has control over your ability to use your paid time off? Please indicate if you feel this way strongly or only somewhat.
(Darker colors used to indicate intensity.)
69%
31%
67%
33%
78%
22%
34%
10%
33%
12%
39%
5%
I do The company
I work for
does
I do The company
I work for
does
I do The company
I work for
does
Who Controls Your PTO?
20% 21%
17%
The Approach of the
Happy and Less Stressed
• Seven-in-ten who say
they are happy with
their job, happy with
the company at which
they work and who are
not stressed by their
work life say they have
ultimate control over
their PTO.
• Furthermore, the
differences between
these individuals and
their unhappy and
stressed out
counterparts are
statistically significant.
35%
34%
39%

Though the importance of taking PTO is nearly universally acknowledged, company culture’s communication failure is reflected in the
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two-thirds of workers who do not believe that their company encourages taking PTO.
13%
Q17. Thinking about the corporate culture at the company you work, would you say it…?
41%
3%
41%
13%
31%
7%
49%
32%
13%
TOTAL
48% 6%
EMPLOYEES
SENIOR
BUSINESS
LEADERS
Corporate Culture’s Attitude Towards PTO
ENCOURAGES
TAKING PTO
DISCOURAGES
TAKING PTO
NEITHER ENCOURAGES NOR
DISCOURAGES TAKING PTO
SENDS MIXED MESSAGES
ABOUT TAKING PTO
Senior business
leaders are more
likely to recognize
company culture’s
efforts to promote
PTO. However, this
number still ties
with the perceived
indifference or
silence coming from
the company about
taking PTO.

In fact, nearly one-fifth of senior business leaders admits to never talking about the benefits of taking time off with employees.
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3%
Frequency of Communication Regarding Merits of Taking
Earned Leave – Among Senior Business Leaders
14%
26%
24%
14%
19%
Once a week Once or twice a
month
Once every
quarter
Two to three
times a year
Once a year Never
I don’t necessarily talk to my
employees about taking their time,
but I don’t hinder them when they
come to me and say that they need
to take time.
Q31. How often do you talk about the merits of taking paid time off with the people who report to you?
– Manager
I don’t want to tell somebody to be happier…
HR would be calling you.
– Manager
33% “

Though over seven in ten have taken PTO for a planned event in the last six months, 14% have not used PTO for a planned event in
Most Recent Planned PTO
I have never used my PTO for something planned
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over a year.
33%
34%
30%
39%
39%
40%
14%
13%
18%
9%
9%
9%
1%
1%
0%
4%
5%
2%
Less than 1 month ago
1 - 6 months ago
7 - 11 months ago
1 year - 5 years ago
6 or more years ago
Behavior Among Those With
Differing Perspectives of PTO
• Those who recognize the
personal importance of taking
PTO are nearly three times
more likely to have used PTO
for a planned event in the past
month compared to those who
do not find it important (34%
versus 12%).
• Those who find it challenging
to use their PTO are less likely
to have taken time off in the
last month. There is a double-digit
gap in PTO use in the past
month among those who find
it easy and difficult to take PTO
(35% versus 25%).
TOTAL
EMPLOYEES
SENIOR BUSINESS
LEADERS
Q19. When was the last time you used your paid time off for a planned event, such as a vacation or family/personal event?

Many of the top uses of PTO are for planned events. Vacation accounts for the majority of PTO use, with nearly two-thirds using PTO
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in order to take a vacation.
What Workers Have Used PTO for During the Past Year – Among Total
Q23. In the past year, for which of the following did you use your paid time off? Please check all that apply.
64%
46%
31%
29%
28%
21%
14%
14%
14%
12%
11%
11%
9%
9%
5%
3%
2%
2%
9%
Vacation
To create a long weekend for yourself
To use the days off that you are given
It was the day before or after a major holiday, such as the day before
You were sick
You had family or friends in town visiting
A child had a special activity, such as a play, an awards ceremony, or a big game
For your birthday
To work on a home-improvement project, such as building a deck or fixing
Something at your home broke or wasn't working properly, and you had to wait
To attend a funeral following a death in the family
The weather made it difficult to get into the office
A child was sick
To attend a wedding
Religious holiday
You or your spouse/significant other had a baby
To get married
To supplement maternity/paternity leave
Other

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The Logistics and Reality of Taking Paid Time Off

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Four in ten say their spouse or significant other is the most supportive of using PTO.
38%
40%
27%
Most Supportive of You Using PTO
8%
8%
9%
42%
39%
52%
4%
4%
4%
3%
3%
2%
3%
3%
4%
1%
1%
1%
0%
1%
0%
You, yourself
Your boss/the company for which you work
Your spouse/significant other
Your child/children
Your friends
Your coworkers
Your family/parents/relatives (vol.)
Other (specify)
Among Whom a Spouse/ Significant
Other is Most Supportive
• Senior business leaders identified
spouses as the most supportive to
them of using PTO.
• A spouse or significant acting as
the chief supporter of using PTO
requests is most notable among
many groups of men: married
men, younger men, college-educated
Q16. When you are thinking about using your paid time off, who is MOST supportive of you using it?
men, and men who are
senior business leaders.
TOTAL
EMPLOYEES
SENIOR BUSINESS
LEADERS

30
Seven in ten employees consider their family first when planning PTO. This trend holds across all demographic subgroups –
majorities all check with what works best for those in their personal lives when planning PTO.
61%
38%
71%
28%
69%
Q24. Complete the following statement: “When planning time off, I generally check what works BEST for_________.”
30%
TOTAL
EMPLOYEES
SENIOR BUSINESS
LEADERS
Planning Paid Time Off
MY FAMILY/FRIENDS/
OTHERS IN MY PERSONAL
LIFE
MY BOSS/COWORKERS/
OTHERS IN MY PROFESSIONAL
LIFE
• Taking PTO is not easy
for everyone. Those
who find taking PTO
difficult are more
likely to check with
work first (46%), while
those who find taking
PTO easy defer more
to family during the
planning process
(72%).
• 73% of those with a
happy marriage or
happy relationship
with their significant
other check with
family first when
planning time off.

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Even with a supportive work environment, workers confront challenges to taking PTO.
40%
35%
33%
33%
28%
Challenges to Taking PTO – Among Total
22%
22%
21%
20%
20%
20%
19%
17%
17%
16%
15%
12%
9%
11%
7%
4%
4%
9%
8%
5%
5%
3%
4%
4%
3%
4%
3%
I would come back to a mountain of work
No one else at my company can do the work while I’m away
I cannot afford a vacation
Taking time off is harder to do the higher up you get in a company
I want to show complete dedication to the company and my job
I don’t want others to think that I am replaceable
I can bank or roll over my unused paid time off
I get paid for my unused paid time off
I would be expected to respond to work matters and e-mails anyways…
The company’s culture does not promote taking time off
I feel guilty using my paid time off
I don’t want to lose consideration for a promotion or pay raise
I would prefer to work rather than take time off
I am afraid of what my boss would think
I am afraid I would lose my job
Taking time off is something that comes with seniority
Makes it very difficult to take your PTO Makes it very/somewhat difficult to take your PTO
Q27. Here is a list of reasons people have said make it difficult for them to use their paid time off. For each, please indicate if it makes it very difficult, somewhat
difficult, not too difficult, or not at all difficult for you personally to use your paid time off.

Nearly three-quarters of employees are able to disconnect from work while taking time off. However, senior business leaders
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struggle to disengage and are twice as likely to remain plugged in.
Interaction with Work During PTO
12%
8%
29%
16%
12%
37%
11%
7%
29%
20%
14%
46%
11%
8%
22%
3%
1%
12%
5%
4%
13%
0%
0%
2%
TOTAL
EMPLOYEES
SENIOR BUSINESS
LEADERS
68%
74%
37%
Work called
Work e-mailed
I responded to work calls
I responded to work e-mails
I spent time working
Someone with whom I was with during the time off, such as a
spouse/significant other, nagged me because I was doing work
I brought work with me
I lied to someone I was with, such as a spouse/significant other, in
order to do work without that person knowing
None of the above
Q22. Still thinking about your most recent planned paid time off experience, which of the following, if any, happened during your time off? Please select all that apply.

When planning PTO, coworkers check a master calendar, remind others of their absence and coordinate to ensure project coverage.
Yes, This Generally Happens During PTO
People coordinate with coworkers to have coworkers cover their responsibilities
People send a reminder that they will be gone in advance of leaving for their PTO
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71%
70%
75%
70%
68%
82%
63%
62%
64%
62%
60%
70%
60%
57%
72%
56%
54%
66%
51%
50%
56%
34%
31%
52%
25%
22%
35%
24%
22%
34%
After coming back to work, people talk about their experience and its benefits
when taking PTO
Coworkers encourage each other to take their PTO
Coworkers check a master calendar or shared calendar before planning PTO
My boss encourages employees to take their PTO
People finish all of their projects and tasks before leaving for their PTO
Work calls/e-mails during people's PTO
People complete work during their PTO
People check in during their PTO
Q25. Please indicate if this is something that generally happens at the company you work when employees plan and use their paid time off.
TOTAL
EMPLOYEES
SENIOR BUSINESS
LEADERS

The planning and encouragement regarding PTO at the offices of happy employees resembles the behaviors focus group participants
Cultivating a Happy Workforce
• There are dramatic differences in the corporate culture governing PTO
separating those who are happy with their jobs and companies and those
who are not. The 3 areas where these differences emerge are:
• Happy workers are significantly more likely than unhappy workers to say
that:
34
identified with “model employees.”
• Encouraging others to take PTO,
• Planning PTO, and
• Talking about PTO after using PTO.
• Their boss and coworkers encourage people to take their PTO,
• People finish all of their projects and tasks before leaving,
• People coordinate with coworkers to have coworkers cover their
responsibilities,
• People send a reminder that they will be gone in advance of
leaving, and
• People talk about their experience and its benefits upon their
return to work.
I think the model employee sets everybody else up to
be successful while they’re gone. So they do that
work before they leave so that all those loose ends
are wrapped up so that they can get — and it’s up,
it’s obviously selfish too, so that they can get fewer
phone calls and fewer emails when they get back. So
obviously being really thoughtful well in advance and
starting to wrap things up and delegate different
things to different people, make sure they’re
comfortable with what they’ve been tasked with.
– Manager
They’re more conscientious about taking time off…
Like, they would schedule their time or they would
try…they’re more conscientious of their coworkers.
Somebody has to be there.
– Employee
Q25. Please indicate if this is something that generally happens at the company you work when employees plan and use their paid time off.

35
Benefits of Taking Paid Time Off

36
Workers’ positive associations with taking PTO produce high ratings of recent PTO experiences.
Q20. What ONE word would you use to describe your most recent planned paid time off experience? [OPEN END.]
Q21. On a scale from 0-100, where 0 means it was an absolutely horrible experience, and 100 means it was absolutely wonderful, how would you rate your most
recent planned paid time off experience?
60%
Would rate their most recent PTO
experience a 90 or higher on a scale out
of 100.
30%
Give their most recent planned PTO
experience a perfect, 100 out of 100
rating.

Aligning with the attributes defining workers’ latest PTO experience, the benefits of PTO that earn the greatest breadth and depth of
37
agreement are those that facilitate people’s happiness, health, personal relationships, and ability to relax and recharge.
90%
85%
88%
Top-Tier Benefits of Taking PTO – Among Total
79%
84%
82%
79%
56%
52%
50%
46%
45%
44%
38%
Helps me relax and recharge
Makes me a happier person
Gives me the opportunity to engage
in activities that I enjoy
Strengthens bonds with my family
and/or friends
Reduces my stress level
Allows me to disconnect from work
Improves my overall health
Strongly agree Strongly/somewhat agree
Differences Between Senior Business
Leaders and Employees
• There are few differences between
senior business leaders and
employees on the advantages of
PTO – both groups identify and
agree with these advantages..
• Senior business leaders are more
likely to indicate strengthening
bonds with their families and/or
friends is a benefit they associate
with taking PTO compared to
employees (86% versus 77%).
Q26. Based on your experiences taking your paid time off, please indicate if you agree or disagree with each of the following. Taking my paid time off…

Benefits of PTO struggling to gain the traction exemplified by those in the top tier tend to focus on PTO as a catalyst for improved
38
65%
61%
Second-Tier Benefits of Taking PTO – Among Total
46%
39%
35%
24%
21%
28%
25%
13%
18%
14%
12%
7%
7%
4%
Improves my concentration and makes me more
productive at work
Makes me more satisfied at work
Makes me more creative, which helps me
generate new ideas and approaches
Makes me more educated, cultured, and
interesting
Saves me money by not having to pay
commuting or other work-related costs
Allows me to learn a new skill
Allows me to dedicate time to volunteering or
doing charitable work
Helps me advance my career faster
work performance.
Strongly agree
Strongly/somewhat agree
Differences Between Senior Business
Leaders and Employees
Senior business leaders are also more
likely to see the positive impact on work
that accompanies taking PTO.
Specifically, the are more likely to agree
that taking their PTO,
• Improves their concentration and
makes them more productive at work
(73% versus 64%);
• Makes them more satisfied at work
(71% versus 59%);
• Makes them more creative, which
helps them generate new ideas and
approaches (56% versus 43%);
• Makes them more educated,
cultured, and interesting (49% versus
37%);
• Allows them to dedicate time to
volunteering or doing charitable work
(29% versus 20%).
Q26. Based on your experiences taking your paid time off, please indicate if you agree or disagree with each of the following. Taking my paid time off…

39
Messages that Motivate Taking and Approving Paid Time Off

40
Many effective messages leverage top-of-mind associations and broadly-held benefits identified with taking time off.
88%
84%
80%
77%
77%
69%
70%
50%
49%
Messages That Encourage Taking PTO – Among Total
56%
47%
43%
43%
40%
36%
34%
28%
27%
Taking time off gives me a much-needed opportunity to de-stress and avoid
burning out.
Taking time off gives me a chance to reset and take a break from my
colleagues, which improves my morale when I return.
My boss fully supports me when I need to take my time off and encourages
me to do so.
By taking time off I recharge, renew and ultimately improve my performance
at work – maybe even earn a raise or promotion.
My co-workers fully support me when I take time off and will step up to cover
my workload, because they know I’ll do the same when they take time off.
My company has made it an organization-wide policy to encourage all
workers to take their time off.
My boss supports me in taking time off by managing my workload while I’m
away.
One of the categories I’m evaluated on in my performance review is paid time
off. In order to do well, I have to use my paid time off.
The talent leaders and HR department say that employees who take more of
their paid time off receive promotions and raises more quickly.
Very likely
Very/somewhat likely
Q28. Below is a list of statements some people have made. Assuming that each was true, how likely would you be to take more of your paid time off because of this statement?

Convincing Reasons to Approve PTO Requests – Among senior business leaders % of Senior Business
When employees use their time off, they return
By using their time off, my employees can de-stress,
Encouraging my employees to use their time
off can dramatically cut down on turnover and
When employees use their time off, they return
Encouraging employees to use their time off
makes them more willing to put in long hours
41
Messages targeted to senior business leaders resonate as reasons to approve PTO requests, but even the most compelling
statements are currently only being communicated by two-thirds of senior business leaders.
91%
90%
90%
90%
81%
50%
50%
49%
41%
37%
recharged and renewed, ready to work more
efficiently and productively.
and improve their health and well-being
— ultimately cutting down on sick days and
burnout.
improve morale.
to work with improved focus and creativity.
and over time when I really need them.
Q29. Here is a list of some of the advantages of having employees use their paid time off. After reading each, how convincing is it to you as a manager as a reason
to approve a paid time off request? (Darker colors used to indicate intensity.)
Q30. Have you ever communicated any of the following statements to someone who reports to you?
Leaders Who Have Said This
to a Direct Report
66%
68%
48%
64%
43%
Very convincing Very/somewhat convincing

42
Senior Business Leader Views on PTO

SOMEWHAT
IMPORTANT
43
Over nine in ten senior business leaders recognize the importance of their direct reports using their PTO.
Importance of Direct Reports Taking PTO
95%
41%
40%
14%
2%
3%
4%
Q14. Thinking about the people who report to you, how important is it to you that they use their paid time off? (Darker colors used to indicate intensity.)
EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT
VERY
IMPORTANT
NOT VERY
IMPORTANT
NOT AT ALL
IMPORTANT
“ I want my people there when they’re at their best.
I think in order to be at their best, they need to
take time to de-stress….
– Manager
And I put in that it promotes…the healthy lifestyle,
promotes a stress-free person mentally,
physically.
– Manager

Yet, over one-quarter refrains from describing approving PTO requests as easy, with difficulties stemming from the additional burden
44
placed on other employees, including themselves.
72%
Ease of Approving PTO Requests
8%
36%
20%
1%
Easy Neither Easy Nor
Difficult
Difficult
Biggest Challenges to Approving PTO
Among Those Who Do Not Find it Easy (N=60*)
9%
8%
6%
7%
17%
1%
7%
14%
32%
It places an extra burden on
other employees
The quality of work products
suffer
It places an extra burden on me
It jeopardizes the company's
bottom line
It does not align with the
company's culture
It interferes with meeting
deadlines (vol.)
Other
None/nothing (vol.)
Refused
Q33. How easy or difficult is it for you to approve paid time off requests? (Darker colors used to indicate intensity.)
Q34. For you, which of the following is the biggest challenge to approving paid time off requests? (*Denotes small n-size.)
35%
7%

Furthermore, employees who take all of their earned leave face disapproval or uncertainty regarding their dedication, productivity,
45
and advancement prospects from over one-third of senior business leaders.
They are less dedicated to their jobs They are less likely to be promoted They are generally less productive
Q32. For your employees who take all of their paid time off, how would you describe them? (Darker colors used to indicate intensity.)
15%
61%
10%
64%
15%
61%
5%
24%
35%
1%
25%
42%
1%
24%
38%
Agree Neither Agree
Nor Disagree
Disagree Agree Neither Agree
Nor Disagree
Disagree Agree Neither Agree
Nor Disagree
Disagree
Senior Business Leaders’ Impressions of Employees Who Take All Their Leave
10%
14%
10%
26%
22% 23%

46
Travel Effect is the U.S. Travel Association’s research-driven initiative to prove the personal,
business, social and economic benefits that taking earned time off can deliver. For more
information about survey findings, visit TravelEffect.com.
The U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing all components
of the travel industry that generates $2.1 trillion in economic output and supports 14.9 million
jobs. U.S. Travel's mission is to increase travel to and within the United States. For more
information, please visit USTravel.org.
GfK is the trusted source of relevant market and consumer information that enables its
clients to make smarter decisions. More than 13,000 market research experts combine their
passion with GfK’s 80 years of data science experience. This allows GfK to deliver vital global
insights matched with local market intelligence from more than 100 countries. By using
innovative technologies and data sciences, GfK turns big data into smart data, enabling its
clients to improve their competitive edge and enrich consumers’ experiences and
choices. For more information, please visit GfK.com or follow GfK on Twitter: @GfK_en.

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