Taking a Vacation Boosts Productivity

Employees who haven’t used all of their earned vacation days should consider taking time off work. According to new research by the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), employees who take vacation leave enjoy greater productivity, increased job satisfaction, and higher organizational morale than those who do not.

However, the “Vacation’s Impact on the Workplace” survey goes on to show a disconnect between the positive attitudes surrounding vacation and Americans’ behavior—61 percent of organizations report that their employees leave three or more days on the table each year.

“The timeshare industry has been advocating for regular vacations through our members and our consumer website, www.VacationBetter.org,” says Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA). “Timeshare owners are more likely to take their vacation since it’s pre-paid, which is one huge benefit to owning a timeshare.”

The findings illustrate that time off is advantageous for both employee and employer—those who take vacation time recharge and bring the benefits back into the office by strengthening their own performance and contributing to the success of the entire organization. Key findings include:

Vacation improves workforce productivity: More than three in four talent leaders (77%) believe that employees who use their vacation time are more productive than those who do not.

Employees who take most or all of their vacation time are happier in their jobs: A strong majority of human resource managers (78%) say that taking advantage of available vacation time improves employee job satisfaction.

Taking advantage of available vacation days leads to a happy, motivated workforce: Nine in 10 respondents (90%) agreed that employee vacations are an important component in maintaining a positive organizational culture.

Employees continue to leave time on the table: Six in 10 organizations report that their employees fail to use an average of three or more days of paid vacation each year.

To realize these benefits, employees need to use their vacation leave. A full seventy percent of respondents at organizations with a “use it or lose it” policy—a policy that motivates employees to take vacation—believe that their employees will stay in their jobs longer, compared to a little over half at firms with less encouraging policies.

“In addition to the standard HR benefit package at U.S. Travel, I believe in rewarding my employees with additional time off,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “Time away from work allows my team to recharge and return to the office more motivated, creative and innovative.”

The results were drawn from a survey of 481 randomly selected, U.S.-based HR professionals from among SHRM’s membership. The research was conducted between August 22 and September 25, 2013. SHRM is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management and represents more than 250,000 members in more than 140 countries.

More information about the benefits of travel for families, businesses, communities and more can be found at www.traveleffect.com and at www.VacationBetter.org.