It can be difficult to tell. A survey by Perceptyx, a company focused on employee experience transformation, reveals that 72% of employees work while on paid time off (PTO). This growing trend highlights concerns about the blurred boundaries between work and personal time.

Emily Killham, Senior Director at Perceptyx and Head of the Center for Workforce Transformation suggests that this trend reflects deeper organizational cultural issues. She explains the rise of "workcationing" and its potential consequences for employees' well-being.

What is Workcationing?

According to the survey, there are three types of vacationers. Some employees plan to work during their vacation, bringing along their work devices with the intention of responding to emails or completing tasks. Others, despite trying to disconnect by leaving their work devices at home, end up working on personal devices. Then, there are the true vacationers, who fully unplug and refrain from working during their time off.

In both instances of workcationing, employees struggle to separate work from leisure, which increases their risk of burnout. In response, some employees might engage in what Killham calls "quiet vacationing," where they reclaim personal time during work hours to compensate for the time spent working on vacation.

The Role of Leadership

Managers play a significant role in influencing how employees manage their PTO. If managers continue to work while on vacation, it sends an implicit message to their teams that they should do the same, regardless of company policies promoting disconnection.

Killham notes that it’s less about whether leadership or the company encourages PTO and more about whether managers themselves model this behavior by truly disconnecting when on vacation. When managers fail to unplug, their teams often follow suit.

What Should HR Do?

To address this issue, HR should focus on managing workloads, especially for managers, who often face the pressure of doing more with fewer resources. It’s crucial to ensure that managers and their teams have the freedom to take time off without feeling obligated to stay connected.

Some practical steps include encouraging managers to lead by example and take their PTO seriously. HR can also study PTO trends within the organization to understand how much time employees across different job levels are actually taking. Additionally, conducting post-vacation surveys can provide insights into whether employees were able to disconnect, if their responsibilities were adequately covered, and what improvements could be made.

By understanding the root causes of workcationing, HR can implement policies that promote a culture where employees truly disconnect, reducing the risk of burnout and enhancing overall well-being.

Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that vacations are what they should be—a time to relax and recharge, not an extension of the workday.