Vacations are becoming less about time off and more about work, according to a recent Opinion Research survey.
Some of it is the convenience to link to the office via telecommunications, the survey stated.
And a more professional work force these days is more inclined to work through a vacation, according to an economist with the University of Baltimore.
“We have much more professional people in the work force and a knowledge-based economy in Maryland,” said Richard Clinch, director of economic research at the University of Baltimore.
He added that technology allows professional workers to slip off the job site early to “see their kids? soccer game” while maintaining contact with the job.
“You can?t do that if you work at a Ford [auto assembly] plant,” Clinch said.
More employees are working through their vacation, according to the opinion research survey.
“Only 61 percent of Americans use all of their allotted vacation time and almost half [43 percent] of the respondents spent at least some time working during their vacation,” stated the survey, which was conducted for Steelcase, an office equipment maker based in Michigan.
“And the trend of working on vacation is growing significantly,” stated the survey, which interviewed 700 U.S. office workers.
Those who report working while on vacation has nearly doubled ? 43 percent versus 23 percent ? from a decade ago, according to the survey.
But some workers have no choice but to work instead of take a vacation, said the head of a Maryland labor union.
“Many workers can?t get time off,” said Ron Bailey, executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 92?s office in Baltimore.
“You have some [government] agencies, such as the Department of Corrections, where it is difficult to get time off.”
In the survey, workers cited several reasons why they worked their vacation including: 25 percent said they were “committed to the job,” 22 percent said they had “a pressing assignment that needs to be taken care of,” 12 percent said they wanted to take care of assignments so they wouldn?t be there when they returned, 11 percent said technology makes it easy, while 10 percent said they couldn?t relax “until things are taken care of.”
Men are more likely than women to work on their vacation ? 55 percent of men compared to 43 of percent women, according to the survey.
