The modern workplace can be a stressful and demanding environment. Paid time off (PTO) is a highly valuable resource for employees, allowing them to rest, recharge and pursue other interests. For employers, there are also various benefits to workers taking their PTO, including increased productivity and reduced days lost to illness and burnout. However, statistics indicate that many US workers under-utilize their PTO and the many opportunities it presents. In this article, we’ll discuss how employees can make the most of their PTO, and the benefits it can provide to employers.
PTO in the USA - key facts
While guaranteed PTO is not a legal right for US workers, most employees in the US do receive some sort of paid vacation or leave. Statistics indicate that 87% of private sector employees have PTO, while the average amount of paid leave for each US worker after one year in employment is 11 days. This increases to 15 days after five years’ employment and 20 after two decades.
However, despite this, many US employees don’t take full advantage of their PTO. In fact, Pew Research Center reports around half of workers don’t use their full annual PTO entitlement (46%). According to the same study, around half (49%) of those who don’t take their full leave allocation say they’re worried about falling behind if they take it. 43% of workers say they feel bad about their co-workers having to take on more work if they take the time off they’re entitled to.
Why your PTO is important for your career
There are numerous great reasons for employees to take all the PTO they’re entitled to. While it can feel tempting to forego your leave entitlement to focus on delivering for your employer or advancing your career, taking a break from work can actually equip you to do those things better in the long term.
It might feel counterintuitive to suggest that taking time off work can boost your career, but this is supported by the evidence. One study shows that for every 10 hours of vacation time employees took, their year-end work performance increased by 8%.
Meanwhile, other studies show the mental health benefits of taking paid vacation. One such study claims that every 10 days taken off work accounts for a 29% decrease in depression rates.
So, the evidence is fairly persuasive, that taking time away from work allows you to recharge, clear your mind and return to work fresher and ready to perform to a higher standard than ever. Failing to take your PTO in full may make you feel like you’re putting in the extra yards for your employer, but this can perpetuate the culture of presenteeism in the workplace. This can become harmful, both for you as an employee, and for your employer.
How to use your PTO to boost your career
Strategic use of your PTO can have various positive effects on your career. Here are some tips to make the most of your PTO to improve your performance and advance your career progression:
Learn a new skill
Even though you’re taking time off work, your personal and professional development never stops. Taking time away from your job can give you the chance to develop a new skill that may be useful in future. This could be something that benefits your current role, enhances your employability or opens up new career opportunities for you. Think about current trends in the job market and where you want your career to go, and use your vacation time to prepare you for that future.
Top tips:
- Enrol in an online course.
- Read a book on a subject you want to learn more about.
Refresh your creativity
While you’re working hard at your day job, it can become easy to slip into autopilot and take the safe, established path towards getting your work done. Creativity allows you to think in new ways and find innovative solutions to daily problems and challenges, but the daily grind can be antithetical to this. Taking time away from work can make it easier for you to recover the creative, risk-taking spirit that can take your career to new heights.
Top tips:
- Pursue a creative activity.
- Spend time in a new, unfamiliar environment.
Recharge your batteries
Simply using your PTO to rest and recover from the stress and physical toll of work can prepare you to return to work with greater intensity and vigor. Even if your job isn’t physically demanding, the constant nature of work can have a cumulative effect that leaves you physically tired and more susceptible to illness. Recharging your batteries can help you to be more productive in the long term.
Top tip:
- Leave some time completely free in your PTO schedule.
Attend to ongoing medical issues
If you’re avoiding addressing a medical issue because of the pressures of work, you’re at risk of making it worse. This could result in you being forced to take even more time off work later on if the problems persist. Using PTO to address longstanding medical issues will help to keep you fit for work and benefit your career progression over time.
Top tip:
- If you have an ongoing medical condition, don’t ignore it — take some time off to address it as soon as possible.
Why PTO is valuable for employers
The benefits of a rested, healthy workforce cannot be overstated for employers. It’s easy to believe that longer hours and a culture of employee self-sacrifice leads to better performing teams and organizations, but almost all the evidence goes against this notion. In fact, studies show that in numerous instances, productivity levels are inversely linked to annual hours worked. This means that working fewer hours, and taking more time off work, can actually make your workforce more productive.
Just some of the benefits of employees taking their full allocation of PTO include:
- Better productivity
- More creative workforce
- Higher levels of loyalty and engagement
- Fewer days lost to illness, burnout and mental health conditions
Top tips for HR professionals to encourage effective use of PTO
If you’re an HR professional wanting to encourage your employees to use their PTO more effectively, consider implementing some or all of the following actions:
Create a flexible, dynamic work environment:
a better work-life balance is one of the key career objectives of US workers, according to a study by Jobseeker.com. Encouraging flexible working practices can reduce presenteesim and the pressure of employees feeling they need to be seen at work, which can reduce the stigma associated with taking PTO.
Manage workloads and coverage:
one of the key reasons US workers give for not taking all their PTO is the pressure the extra work can place on co-workers. Encourage managers to keep a close eye on individual workloads and establish a culture of open discussion around PTO to ensure teams are well-equipped to cover for absent team members.
Make PTO a core element of performance appraisals:
including discussions about PTO in annual performance reviews can remove any taboos employees may feel about discussing this with management. You might even consider creating an objective around taking leave, if employees are struggling to take their full allocation.
Encourage management to take their allotted PTO:
as well as discussing PTO openly with their juniors, managers can create a culture of PTO by taking their full allocation. Managers are typically less likely to take their full entitlement of leave than junior staff, so addressing this imbalance can set the tone for the rest of the organization.
Remove the need for a reason to take PTO:
workers may feel the need to justify time off, and if they don’t have a good reason, they might feel guilty about approaching management to request a vacation. Clearly and intentionally removing the need to provide a reason can reduce the element of shyness employees might feel about asking for time off.
Conclusion
Employees often underutilize or misuse their paid time off (PTO), either not taking enough or taking it in ways that don’t maximize rest and productivity. This article will explore how to plan PTO strategically to prevent burnout, enhance creativity, and even support professional growth. It will also touch on how HR can encourage employees to take PTO effectively.