Survey: One-Third of Managers Regret Not Taking Enough Vacation Time

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Jun 26, 2014, 08:17 ET

MENLO PARK, Calif., June 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- We've heard of buyer's remorse, but vacation remorse? In a new OfficeTeam survey, one in three (34 percent) senior managers interviewed said taking too little time off was the biggest mistake they made with their last vacation. Not being able to get their mind off work came in second (25 percent), followed by checking in with the office too much (22 percent).

1/3 of managers surveyed by OfficeTeam regret not taking enough vacation time. Check out this infographic for the full research results and other findings about vacation time. (PRNewsFoto/OfficeTeam)

The survey was developed by OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service specializing in the placement of highly skilled administrative professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on telephone interviews with more than 300 senior managers in the United States at companies with 20 or more employees.

Senior managers were asked, "Which of the following was the biggest mistake you made when you took your last vacation from work?" Their responses:

Didn't take enough time off	34%
Couldn't relax or get your mind off work	25%
Checked in with the office too much	22%
Didn't check in with the office enough	7%
Didn't prepare or organize your work well prior to leaving	5%
Other/don't know/no answer	7%
	100%

View an infographic of the research results and other findings about vacation time.

"Managers may be hesitant to take extended time off because they fear their absence will be a hardship on other staff," said Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam. "But a longer break can be a good opportunity to delegate projects to an employee who shows promise to see how that person manages while you're away."

OfficeTeam offers five tips for making the most of vacation time:

Time it right. Try to avoid scheduling vacations during busy periods. Make time-off requests early so others can plan ahead. Not sure how long of a break to take? Consider the length of your last vacation and whether or not you needed more time away to truly unwind.
Have a back-up plan. Determine who can handle your tasks and make decisions while you're out. Provide your stand-in with the necessary instructions and resources to get things done. Temporary professionals also can help keep projects on track during vacation season.
Spread the word. Let key contacts know when you'll be away and who has been assigned as your point person. Include the alternate contact's information on your voice mail and email notices.
Manage your calendar. Aim to keep your agenda open on the last few days before your vacation so you can focus on tying up loose ends. Also avoid scheduling too many meetings the day you return. This will give you time to check email, return calls and get updates from coworkers.
Set ground rules. Disconnect from work as much as possible when on vacation. Don't contact the office or look at your email unless it's necessary. If you must check in, set specific times you'll be available instead of being on call the entire time. The more you stay in touch with work, the less you'll be able to enjoy your break.

About OfficeTeam

OfficeTeam, a Robert Half company, is the nation's leading staffing service specializing in the temporary placement of highly skilled office and administrative support professionals. The company has more than 300 locations worldwide. More information, including online job search services and the OfficeTeam Take Note blog (blog.officeteam.com), can be found at officeteam.com.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140625/121752

SOURCE OfficeTeam