Millennials account for nearly half of American work martyrs, according to the latest report from Project: Time Off, an ongoing initiative aimed at changing American attitudes about vacation.
Based on the online survey conducted by GfK earlier this year, Project: Time Off reported 43 percent of work martyrs, or employees who skip vacation to focus on the job, are Millennials despite the fact that the generation comprises just 29 percent of the workforce.
There are a handful of reasons why Millennials choose not to take time off. However, the report found that the most common is the desire to show complete dedication to the job or company, with 30 percent of Millennials in agreement.
Feeling guilty and not wanting others to think they're replaceable (27 percent) tied for second.
Twenty-six percent of American Millennials are worried they will lose consideration for a promotion or raise if they take time off, while 23 percent are afraid of what their boss might think.
[READMORE] READ MORE: Tips for Planning a Tech-Free Vacation [/READMORE]
By comparison, only 15 percent of Baby Boomers admit to leaving time off on the table because they want to show their commitment to their job, while just 9 percent of Boomers feel they'll miss out on a raise or promotion if they go away.
"The 'entitled Millennial' narrative is dead wrong when it comes to vacation," said Project: Time Off's senior director Katie Denis in a statement. "As the largest generation in the workforce, one that is now stepping into management, Millennials are developing vacation attitudes that will define and negatively affect America's work culture."
[READMORE] READ MORE: Are Millennials Really That Different? [/READMORE]
"The circumstances of the Millennial experience - the Great Recession and its aftershocks, growing student debt, and an always-connected lifestyle - have created a perfect storm for their work martyr behavior," added Denis.
Perhaps even more troubling than the reasons why Millennials avoid time off is their attitudes toward doing so. Project: Time Off found that nearly half of Millennials (48 percent) believe it's a good thing to be seen as a work martyr by their boss, compared to just 32 percent of Boomers.
Even the average across all generations surveyed was 39 percent.
"There are larger implications for the workforce when people don't take vacation," argues Denis. "Time off is essential to employee productivity, creativity, and overall performance."
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
