Check In To Check Out

In today's demanding work environment, taking time off is a luxury rather than a necessity. Surprisingly, numerous statistics reveal that employees, despite having access to paid time off (PTO), frequently choose to forgo using their vacation days. Unfortunately we get it. The thought of coming back to a thousand emails, a sea of unanswered calls, and overdue projects is enough to say, “No thank you.” However, Kate and I are on a mission to find a work/life balance for ourselves and our squad. Here’s what we found.

According to a survey conducted by the U.S. Travel Association, around 55% of American workers did not use all their earned vacation days in 2021. This equates to a staggering 768 million unused vacation days.Why? The fear of falling behind and an overwhelming workload were major deterrents to taking time off. A poll by Glassdoor found that 61% of employees admitted to working while on vacation due to work-related anxiety. Raise your hand if that applies to you. (FYI, our hands are high in the air.)

Kate and I also found that according to the 2021 State of American Vacation survey, only 44% of American employees achieved a good work-life balance. The pressure to maintain productivity often overshadows the benefits of time away from work.

These good old stats hit close to home. Three years ago we established “Tahoe Days.” A Tahoe Day is when a squad member delays arrival into the office until noon 5 days out of the year to enjoy the outdoor lifestyle. Of course, this is on top of their paid time off. What we found…no one took advantage of this additional R&R.

We know that there are numerous benefits to balance, including improved productivity, reduced burnout, and enhanced mental wellbeing. So this summer we’re making it mandatory. That’s right, mandatory. We’ve set up a quarter check-in to remind our squad that they need to check out. So cheers to checking out. May it bring you peace, presence, and a good dose of long-term productivity!