The pandemic has changed the way some people work, allowing remote workers to workcations and business travelers to reduce their travel time. Getty Images.
(NewsNation) — The line between work and vacation is becoming blurred as the newest workplace trend, “quiet vacations,” takes hold in the office.
Similar to a “quiet resignation,” employees take a “quiet vacation” by taking time off without telling their boss.
Called by various names like secret travel, secret vacations, and even workcations, the practice is especially prevalent among millennials, with four in 10 people reporting they’ve taken time off without telling their boss, according to a Harris Poll survey.
“This is kind of like a canary syndrome, a symptom of a deeper problem in the workplace where employees don’t feel they can openly take needed breaks without repercussions,” said Libby Rodney, chief strategy officer at the market research firm.
A Harris Poll survey of 1,170 American workers found that 78% of U.S. workers say they don’t take all of their paid leave, with Gen Z and millennials being the most likely generations.
The popularity of quiet vacations and “secret” travel is tied to the rise in remote work, Stacey Haller, chief career advisor at Resume Builder, told Axios.
“The shift to virtual meetings and the ability to access work-related emails and documents from anywhere is making it increasingly easier for employees to balance work and leisure,” Haller said.
