As U.S. workers get closer to summer, they may be questioning just how much of their
Resume.io ranked the U.S. as the second worst country for paid time off out of 197 nations, with U.S. workers only having an average of 10 days off (not including federal holidays). Unlike other countries, the U.S. does not have federal regulations that require employers to give employees a certain amount of PTO, and even with a
This is a harmful norm in American work culture, and it's hurting
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"PTO is essential to living a healthy, mentally well existence," he says. "PTO is supposed to help refresh us and give time to focus on friends and family or other responsibilities that make us feel balanced and whole — but often, employees can't succeed in that."
Many American workers approach PTO with a scarcity mindset, and with good reason, notes Debus. Whether they have limited time they can take off, their work culture dissuades them from using their allotted time or a mix of both, workers don't feel they have the ability to take PTO throughout the year. Debus points out that often employees will end up spending a lot of their PTO in the last quarter of the year, not just due to holidays but because they kept hesitating to take any time off earlier. He advises employees against this, stressing that this strategy typically leads to employees to lose out on valuable time off.
"Personally, I look at the entire year and try to divvy up my PTO as much as possible by quarters," says Debus. "This helps me ensure I take time for myself throughout the year. This is a paid benefit, and we do not want to leave [days] on the table."
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Depending on the PTO policy or if the employee is a caregiver, this tactic may not seem feasible, but Debus encourages employees to at least mentally set aside time each quarter. Even if the employee divides their time up conservatively or plans to save up days for emergencies, they're at least thinking proactively about managing their time, underlines Debus.
He hopes this approach can also combat critical rates of work-related stress in the U.S. As many as 65% of employees reported suffering from burnout in 2023 alone, according to HR software company isolved.
"It's a healthier approach, rather than going nine months without taking PTO and then loading it all up in the last quarter," he says. "It's important to take time away from work to have a positive and productive outlook for your work life."
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Debus believes this approach to PTO will also benefit managers — if employees are planning their PTO further in advance, then they're more likely to notify their bosses so teams can be prepared.
"If people are feeling overwhelmed, they may just call out sick last minute," says Debus. "It's just easier to manage a workforce that uses their PTO proactively."
But in order to have a team implement this strategy, managers have to be PTO role models. Debus asks that leaders be open about when they want to take time off and set clear boundaries during those out-of-office days. This means they're completely unplugged, and they expect the same from their team.
"As a manager, I don't only need to take time off for myself but to encourage my team," says Debus. "They know that when it's their time to take time off of work, they can do so without the expectations that they are checking in all the time."
