Less than half of employees will be able to completely disconnect during the holidays, report finds
This holiday season, disconnecting from work is emerging as a major challenge for many employees around the world, underscoring the need for employers to foster a culture where their workforce feels empowered to take time off.
Findings from a new Dayforce poll revealed that while 95% of employees get or plan to take time off over the holidays, just 42% said they will unplug completely.
Two in three (67%) employees feel pressure from their employer to be available during their time off, with 35% saying they plan to work because they are concerned about layoffs.
Some employees also said they plan to carry out work to finish critical tasks (21%), and to get ahead before going back to work in the new year (16%).
Others added that they plan to use holiday time to focus on learning ways they can use AI at work (41%) and learning new AI skills or tools to boost their productivity (58%).
"After a year of momentous change, the holidays should be a time for people to pause and recharge, not feel pulled between celebration and workplace pressures," said Amy Cappellanti-Wolf, chief people officer at Dayforce.
"Organisations have a real opportunity, and responsibility, to lower the stress of their people and help them get the rest they need."
According to the report, some of the measures that employers can offer include:
- Offering additional flexibility where possible
- Setting clear boundaries during the holidays
- Recognising and appreciating teams
"When employers set clear boundaries, encourage flexibility, and model true downtime, they help create a culture where people feel safe taking the break they've earned and set the tone for a productive year ahead," Cappellanti-Wolf said.
Holiday burnout at work
These measures come as 65% of employees want to completely unplug from work amid burnout, according to the report.
More than half of employees (53%) said they felt more burnt out at work during the holidays than other times during the year.
To make work less stressful during the holidays, employees said they would welcome flexible work hours (36%), early finishes or closures (34%), and extended deadlines to complete tasks (15%).
Clear boundaries on communication (19%) and fewer meetings (18%) would also reduce stress.
Receiving a holiday bonus (49%), getting appreciation from leadership (21%), and team celebrations or social events (17%) would also help, according to the respondents.
