Nearly half of US workers, 48%, do not expect to use all their allotted vacation days by year end, according to a survey released Nov. 21 by management consultancy Eagle Hill Consulting. 

While 85% of workers said mandating a minimum amount of vacation days annually would benefit employers, 37% favored an unlimited time-off policy. 

Preferences for employer-paid time-off policies varied. Thirty-seven percent of employees reported wanting unlimited vacation days, 31% preferred a designated number of paid days off, 27% desired a designated number of sick and vacation days and 4% opted for no paid time off. 

Impediments to taking a vacation include: 

• The expense of taking a vacation, 44% 

• Self-imposed pressures, 28% 

• Heavy workload, 24% 

• No paid time off, 24% 

• No colleagues available to cover work, 21% 

• Pressure from managers, 14% 

• Organizational culture, 12% 

Overall, 36% of Americans have not taken a vacation in the past year. 

“We’re seeing a bit of mixed messages among workers. On the one hand, Eagle Hill’s research finds more than one-third of workers say they want unlimited vacation, but half of workers already aren’t using their allotted vacation time,” Eagle Hill Consulting president and CEO Melissa Jezior said in a press release.  

“It’s also intriguing that employees favor mandates of vacation time. Perhaps what we are seeing is employees feel they cannot take time off either for workload or workplace culture reasons, and they want to be compelled to take time away from work.” 

The survey noted these findings come as 45% of US workers report burnout, with Gen Z and millennials experiencing the highest levels at 54% and 52%, respectively. 

Burnout was also more prevalent among women, at 49%, than men, at 41%.  

Other findings in the report: 

• 43% of respondents have a designated number of paid days off, 32% have separate sick and vacation days, 10% have unlimited time off and 14% have no paid time off. 

• While 58% of respondents fully disconnected on their last vacation, 24% checked email/messages and 5% continued working. 

“The holiday season is right around the corner, which can be stressful for employees, especially as nearly half the workforce reports burnout,” Jezior said. 

Jezior urged leaders to encourage time off to reduce burnout and set an example by taking time away from work themselves.  

“Of course, taking time off in the coming weeks isn’t possible in some jobs like retail and public safety, but employers can encourage breaks before or after the holidays or offer flexible work schedules. Establishing a culture that fosters taking time away to recharge can be highly beneficial to employers in terms of lowering burnout level, improving employee engagement and fostering employee wellness,” Jezior said. 

The survey includes responses from 1,387 US workers. It was conducted from Oct. 4 to Oct. 9.