Summer is just around the corner, which means vacation time for many Canadians. But British Columbians don’t appear to be taking as much time off as employees in other provinces.
Only 67% of B.C. workers typically use all their paid vacation days every year, according to a Robert Half survey released May 20. This is seven percentage points lower than the national average of 74%.
“Taking a break to recharge is an important part of keeping a fresh perspective, in just about any profession,” said Ashleigh Demulder, regional manager, Robert Half Vancouver. “In addition to burnout, an all work and no play attitude can stunt creativity, innovation and productivity.
“Managers should lead by example by unplugging and using up vacation time, encouraging their teams to do the same.”
Many employees feel they have too much work and don’t want to fall behind, with 33% of respondents in B.C. and 40% nationally saying this is the number one reason they don’t take all their days off.
This is followed by wanting to save time in case it is needed unexpectedly (27% in B.C., 24% in Canada).
The survey found that many workers simply don’t like taking time off or vacations (15% in B.C., 13% nationally).
The remainder of respondents cited other reasons.
