Why managers are to blame for 'quiet vacationing'

Employers can put their concerns around quiet quitting on the back burner because summer has brought them another distressing trend: "Quiet vacationing."

According to The Harris Poll, four in 10 millennial employees have admitted to taking time off without telling their manager, often giving their team the impression they're still working by staying somewhat active on platforms like Slack and Teams or even sending scheduled messages during the work day. Coined "quiet vacationing," this form of disengagement may at first appear like the fault of irresponsible or uncaring employees — but they are not the only ones to blame, says Aaron Rubens, co-founder and CEO of employee recognition platform Kudoboard.

"On the leadership side, you have to ask, 'What's creating this problem?'" says Rubens. "For example, if leadership isn't normalizing taking PTO, then folks who are more junior are going to try to find other ways."

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Rubens advises everyone from managers to C-suite to question their company's cultural expectations around PTO. This also means asking themselves whether they take enough PTO throughout the year, or if their own avoidance of time off is sending employees mixed messages. Rubens underlines that regardless of how robust an employer's PTO policy is, if employees don't see their leaders using it, they are likely to follow suit. 

"At Kudoboard, we make sure we talk about everyone taking at least three to four weeks of vacation per year, in addition to company holidays," says Rubens. "Most importantly, on the leadership side, we're not telling you to take [PTO], but then not taking it ourselves."

If leaders are taking their PTO, the next step is for them to encourage their team to get some out-of-office time on their calendars, advises Rubens. Beyond that, managers have to ensure that PTO is respected.

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"If you don't create a culture where taking PTO means fully unplugging, then it's not going to have the impact you hope for," he says. "People need to spend time with their family and friends so they can come back recharged and ready to go."

It's possible employees do not have adequate PTO as well. Not including sick days or holidays, LinkedIn estimates that Americans, on average, get 10 days of PTO — just two weeks to stretch across the year. If employees want more time, they may have no choice but to take their vacation in secret. Rubens points out that a lack of sick leave or paternity leave can also be a cause for quiet vacationing. If an employee has to dip into their PTO for their health, then they lose necessary days to rest and enrich their lives outside of work, he says. 

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In theory, expanding a company's PTO policy is a straightforward solution, but Rubens reminds employers that it's only one part of the equation. Notably, nearly 80% of U.S. workers confess they don't use all of their PTO each year, according to a Harris Poll survey, reemphasizing how PTO is ultimately a cultural issue. Especially in a remote or hybrid setting, leadership needs to make an effort to connect with employees and make them feel valued. If an employee feels like they're working in a vacuum, then they aren't likely to feel comfortable taking time off or communicating other needs, says Rubens    

"Why are we seeing these kinds of trends?" poses Rubens. "Because companies haven't invested in engaging with employees in this new world. Being thoughtful goes a long way towards employees feeling fully present."