American Workers’ Time Off Survey

December 13, 2012

SURVEY BACKGROUND

Slide 2

Methodology & Background

• Adecco Group North America’s Q4 Survey captures a snapshot of how Americans use their time off from work, as well as their attitudes toward how colleagues use their time off.

• Telephone survey of 522 full-time* workers • Fielded by Braun Research• Conducted November 21-25, 2012

• Differences between various demographics groups were also explored:• Gender• Age• Geographic Region• Marital Status• Parental Status

• Survey results have a margin of error +/-4.3% for this sample size.

Slide 3

*Defined full-time by state requirements

Key Findings

Many workers admit to taking sick days, bereavement, or jury duty as additional vacation time •More than one-third (36 percent) of workers are allotted more than three weeks of vacation per year. Despite this, workers still want more – 44 percent would be happy with one or two additional weeks of vacation and one in five (22 percent) would want three or more.

• Workers in the South (43 percent) are happiest with their current vacation package – nearly double those in the Northeast (23 percent) and nearly triple those in the West (15 percent).

• Workers with children (40 percent) are also more likely than those without children (22 percent) to be happy with their current vacation package.

•Three in four (75 percent) workers have not used all of their allotted vacation time for the year, while only one in four (25 percent) have used it.

• Of those who have not used all of their vacation time yet this year, almost two in five (39 percent) plan to use their time by the end of the year, while more than one in four (26 percent) will let it roll over into 2013.

Many workers admit to taking sick days, bereavement, or jury duty as additional vacation time

•Almost half (47 percent) of workers admit to using sick days as vacation days. •However, many more workers (72 percent) judge their colleagues – thinking they take advantage of their sick days (i.e., use them when they’re not actually sick).•Surprisingly, more than a quarter (26 percent) have taken bereavement days and jury duty (27 percent) as vacation time.•Men are nearly twice as likely to use bereavement time (34 percent vs. 18 percent women) and nearly four times more likely to use jury duty (40 percent v. 11 percent women) as vacation days.

Slide 4

Key Findings

Some workers are upset by the negative impact the absence of co-workers has on them

•Nearly one in five (17 percent) workers have been denied vacation time in the past.• Of those who were denied vacation time, about a third (31 percent) were denied because their

co-workers had requested time off before they did.•Nearly one-third (29 percent) of workers get upset with their co-workers if they take multiple long weekends off, while slightly fewer (23 percent) feel like their colleagues judge them when they take any time off.•A quarter (25 percent) of workers get upset with their co-workers if they leave the office early.•Women (25 percent) are significantly more likely than men (11 percent) to be jealous of co-workers’ time off.•Workers think it’s fine for their colleagues to take off two weeks in a row for vacation (46 percent) or a honeymoon (54 percent). However, they are distinctly tougher when it comes to others taking vacation time for doing good or to care for a sick family member. Workers think only two days is acceptable for volunteering (35 percent) and staying home with a sick child (29 percent).

• Interestingly, almost one in four (24 percent) men think it’s fine to take three or more weeks of sick time, compared to 9 percent of women.

• Men are also more likely to think taking two or more weeks off is fine to volunteer (27 percent v. 7 percent women) or to stay home with a sick child (29 percent v. 15 percent women).

•When their colleagues are out of the office, the majority (63 percent) of workers have an increased workload and nearly half (44 percent) have increased responsibility.

Slide 5

Key Findings

Younger workers receive less vacation time but feel judged when they want to use it

•Almost half (45 percent) of workers ages 18-24 are allotted one week or less of vacation time per year, but many (36 percent) feel like their colleagues judge them when they use it.•While they do not receive as much vacation time as their older counterparts, almost half of younger workers (45 percent) are jealous of their co-workers’ time off.

• Almost as many (43 percent) are also upset when their co-workers leave the office early.•When their co-workers are out of the office, younger workers are burdened by an increased workload (74 percent), increased stress (46 percent), and longer work hours (45 percent).

Slide 6

MAIN FINDINGS

Workers long for more vacation days andsometimes use non-vacation days as time off

Slide 7

Many workers are allotted three weeks or moreof vacation but may not have used it yet

Q1) How much vacation time are you allotted? (N=522)Q2) Did you use all of your vacation time this past year? (N=522)

Slide 8

Of those who have not used all of their vacation time, 39 percent plan to use their time by the end of the year, while 26 percent will let it roll over into 2013.

How much vacation time are you allotted? Did you use all of your vacation time this past year?

Workers would be happier with more vacation time

Slide 9

Forty-four percent of workers would be happy with one or two additional weeks of vacation and nearly a quarter (22 percent) would want three or more.

Q3) How much more time off would you need to be happy with your vacation package? (N=522)

How much more time off would you need to be happy with your vacation package?

Workers in the SouthSouth (43 percent43 percent) are happiest with their current vacation

package – nearly double those in the NortheastNortheast (23 percent23 percent) and triple those in the WestWest (15 percent15 percent).

Workers in the SouthSouth (43 percent43 percent) are happiest with their current vacation

package – nearly double those in the NortheastNortheast (23 percent23 percent) and triple those in the WestWest (15 percent15 percent).

Workers with children children (40 percent40 percent) are also more likely than those without children without children (22 22

percentpercent) to be happy with their current vacation package.

Workers with children children (40 percent40 percent) are also more likely than those without children without children (22 22

percentpercent) to be happy with their current vacation package.

Some workers are taking advantage of vacation time

Slide 10

Q6) In addition to your vacation days, which of the following allotted days off do you use as vacation days? (N=522)Q11) Do you think people take advantage of their sick days (i.e., use them when they're not actually sick)? (N=522)

In addition to your vacation days, which of the following days off do you use as vacation days?

Almost half (47 percent47 percent) of full -time workers admit to using sick days as

vacation days. However, many more (72 72 percentpercent) judge their colleagues – thinking

they take advantage of their sick days.

Almost half (47 percent47 percent) of full -time workers admit to using sick days as

vacation days. However, many more (72 72 percentpercent) judge their colleagues – thinking

they take advantage of their sick days.

Men (34 percent34 percent) are nearly twice as likely compared to women (18 percent18 percent)

to use bereavement days as vacation days.

Men (34 percent34 percent) are nearly twice as likely compared to women (18 percent18 percent)

to use bereavement days as vacation days.

Men (40 percent40 percent) are nearly four times more likely than women (11 percent11 percent) to

use jury duty as vacation days.

Men (40 percent40 percent) are nearly four times more likely than women (11 percent11 percent) to

use jury duty as vacation days.

More than a quarter of workers take jury duty (27 percent) or bereavement (26 percent) as vacation days

MAIN FINDINGS

Some workers are upset by the negative impactthe absence of co-workers has on them

Slide 11

One in five workers has been denied time off in the past

Slide 12

Of those who were denied vacation time, almost a third (31 percent) were denied because their co-workers had requested time off before they did.

Why were you denied vacation time?

Q4) Have you ever been denied vacation time? (N=522)Q5) Why were you denied the vacation time? (N=522)

Have you ever been denied vacation time?

Workers are negatively impacted when colleagues are out of the office

Slide 13

Q7) Please indicate if you agree / disagree with each of the following statements. (Choose all that apply) (N=522)Q9) How are you impacted when your colleagues are out of the office? (N=522)

Women (25 percent25 percent) are significantly more likely than men (11 percent11 percent) to get jealous of co-workers’ time

off.

Women (25 percent25 percent) are significantly more likely than men (11 percent11 percent) to get jealous of co-workers’ time

off.

How are you impacted when your colleagues are out of the office?

I have an increased workload

63%63%I have to work longer hours

34%34%I have increased responsibility

44%44%I feel more stress

29%29%

My personal life is impacted

11%11%

Many workers have expectations about how much timeis acceptable for co-workers take off

Slide 14

Q8) How many days IN A ROW do you think is acceptable for your colleagues to take off for the following? (N=522)

How many days in a row do you think is acceptable for your colleagues to take off for the following?

Interestingly, nearly a quarter (24 24 percentpercent) of men think it’s fine to take three or more weeks of sick time, compared to only 9 percent 9 percent

of women.

Interestingly, nearly a quarter (24 24 percentpercent) of men think it’s fine to take three or more weeks of sick time, compared to only 9 percent 9 percent

of women.

Men are also more likely to think taking off two weeks or more is

fine to volunteer (27 percent v. 7 27 percent v. 7 percent womenpercent women) or to stay home with a sick child (29 29

percent v. 15 percent womenpercent v. 15 percent women).

Men are also more likely to think taking off two weeks or more is

fine to volunteer (27 percent v. 7 27 percent v. 7 percent womenpercent women) or to stay home with a sick child (29 29

percent v. 15 percent womenpercent v. 15 percent women).

Vacation days – More than two weeks

64%64%Honeymoon – More than two weeks

64%64%

Volunteering – One week or less

59%59%Home with sick child – One week or less

72%72%Sick time – One week or less

73%73%

Men are more Men are more compassionate compassionate than than

women when it women when it comes to taking time comes to taking time

offoff

2 or More Weeks

1 Week or Less

MAIN FINDINGS

Younger workers receive less vacation timebut feel judged when they want to use it

Slide 15

Younger workers receive less vacation time andsometimes get upset when co-workers take vacation

Slide 16

*N=120 (workers ages 18-24)Q1) How much vacation time are you allotted? (N=522)Q7) Please indicate if you agree / disagree with each of the following statements. (Choose all that apply) (N=522)

45%45%18-24 year olds are allotted one week or

less of vacation time…

…much less than their older peers.

Percentage who get one week or less of vacation, broken out by age group:

25-34 – 15 percent35-44 – 7 percent

45-54 – 10 percent55+ – 4 percent

Many younger workers are upset when their coworkers are out of the office*

40%

40%

43%

45%

0% 10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

I get upset with my coworkers ifthey take off two weeks from work

in a row

I get upset with my coworkers ifthey take multiple long weekends

off

I get upset with my coworkers ifthey leave the offi ce early

I am jealous of my coworkers' timeoff

Younger workers feel burdened when colleagues are out of the officebut judged when they take time off for themselves

Slide 17

*N=120 (workers ages 18-24)Q9) How are you impacted when your colleagues are out of the office? (N=522)Q10) Do you ever feel like your colleagues are judging you for taking time off? (N=522)

Younger workers are negatively impacted when their colleagues are out of the office*

One in three young workers feels judged by their colleagues when they take time off themselves

Percentage who feel judged when taking time off25-34 – 32 percent35-44 – 24 percent45-54 – 21 percent

55+ – 8 percent

American Workers’ Time Off Survey

December 13, 2012