The Canadian Index of Wellbeing (Time Crunch) and the Expedia Vacation Deprivation Survey were released this month.
Results summary:
- More Canadians are working more non-standard hours 29%
- More Canadians are time crunched 19.6%
- More Canadians are providing care to an elderly dependent 27.8%
- More Canadians are providing care to an elderly dependent and children 6.8%
- 47% of Canadians described themselves as being vacation deprived which is the highest level in 4 years
- Employed Canadians aged 25-44 are the most likely to feel vacation deprived 55%
- 24% of Canadians are not using up all of their allotted vacation time
- 30% of Canadians admit to checking work messages while on vacation
- 22% have cancelled or postponed vacation plans in the past because of work
The trends suggest that Canadians are increasingly sacrificing satisfying and meaningful relaxation and leisure time in order to attend to the more pressing demands of work, childcare and looking after dependent seniors.
Beverly’s Comments
It is becoming increasingly more difficult to disconnect from work and to balance all of the spheres of our life. As an entrepreneur, speaker, author, media commentator, mother of two very active boys, wife, friend, daughter, granddaughter, gardener, housekeeper, chef, karate student…I thoroughly understand how difficult it can get. Some days it feels as if we have lost total control of our lives. But that is the key isn’t it. It is our life. We do have choice. We may not choose the various roles, but we do have choice in what we do, how we do it and how we feel about it. We can be resentful. Or we can figure out what can be changed and change it.
As employers, we have a responsibility to ensure that the environment that our employees work in promotes health and not illness. Is it a place where people look forward to coming to? Is the workload reasonable? Does it promote creativity and involvement? Is it the kind of place that they would recommend to their friends? Are they able to disconnect and do things like take a vacation without feeling guilt or pressure? If not, you need to keep working your wellness plan.
Wellness holds within it a personal responsibility and a corporate responsibility. As the spokesperson for Expedia on the Vacation Deprivation Survey for the past eight years, it is sad to see that 47% of us are saying that we are vacation deprived, yet many of us are still not able to use all of our vacation time. More of us are checking our work messages while on our vacation. Vacations are a part of your wellness program.
Question
How can you help your employees feel less time pressured and less vacation deprived?
If you have some strategies to share – comment on this posting!
Additional Resources:
Vacation Deprivation Infographic
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