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I wonder how many people in the US don't take their vacation days because they've read things like this and not because of their own experience. If you're afra

by nsxwolf 12y ago

I wonder how many people in the US don't take their vacation days because they've read things like this and not because of their own experience. If you're afraid of taking vacation only because of what you've heard from the media, I suggest you try taking your vacation and see what happens. In all likelihood it will be a career non-event.

bmj 12y ago
I've talked to some other professionals about this, and for many of them, they readily admit that they feel like they need to be at work for their employer to function properly. They also admit this is their own impression, not something their boss has given them ("if you take that vacation, I don't know what we'll do without you"). I suggest you try taking your vacation and see what happens. In all likelihood it will be a career non-event I think this will probably be the case. I know it is for me (I take every last hour of PTO I am given every year, and have been known to request time off without pay, too), but I suspect there are some employers that truly do what they can to discourage holidays (constant arbitrary deadlines, for example).
- vonmoltke 12y ago
  > I've talked to some other professionals about this, and for many of them, they readily admit that they feel like they need to be at work for their employer to function properly. They also admit this is their own impression, not something their boss has given them ("if you take that vacation, I don't know what we'll do without you"). I believe there is an ego component to this. Not only does it "look good" to upper management, it makes the individual feel like they are indispensable to the company. Only the unimportant people can afford to take vacations.
  - bmj 12y ago
    Yeah, agreed. And my friends who admit to thinking this way, also admit to the ego component (and that it is, perhaps, a problem).
01Michael10 12y ago
You actually think people decide whether to take a vacation or not because of what they read in the media and NOT based on the culture of the company they work at?
- nsxwolf 12y ago
  Notice what I said here: "If you're afraid of taking vacation only because of what you've heard from the media" If you're afraid of taking vacation because of first hand knowledge about the culture of your company wrt vacations, by all means, be afraid of taking time off.
  - 01Michael10 12y ago
    My point is people are not taking their vacation because of something they read in the media so I think your question and concern were unnecessary.
    - nsxwolf 12y ago
      Oh, okay. Sorry for posting then.
jonnathanson 12y ago
"I wonder how many people in the US don't take their vacation days because they've read things like this and not because of their own experience." It's been my experience that one's freedom to take vacation -- not just technical freedom, but emotional freedom -- really depends on the company's culture in general, and on one's boss in specific. Sure, a lot of it is psychological. But if you've never worked for a boss or company who explicitly discourage vacation, legitimate sick days, etc., then at least know that those people and those companies exist. I can't tell you if they're the exception or if they're the rule. I sincerely hope it's the former. But I do know that they're out there, in great number. For every few employees who've been media-conditioned to fear vacation, there's a manager who's been media-conditioned to disrespect vacation.

by nsxwolf 12y ago

bmj 12y ago

I've talked to some other professionals about this, and for many of them, they readily admit that they feel like they need to be at work for their employer to function properly. They also admit this is their own impression, not something their boss has given them ("if you take that vacation, I don't know what we'll do without you"). I suggest you try taking your vacation and see what happens. In all likelihood it will be a career non-event I think this will probably be the case. I know it is for me (I take every last hour of PTO I am given every year, and have been known to request time off without pay, too), but I suspect there are some employers that truly do what they can to discourage holidays (constant arbitrary deadlines, for example).

vonmoltke 12y ago
> I've talked to some other professionals about this, and for many of them, they readily admit that they feel like they need to be at work for their employer to function properly. They also admit this is their own impression, not something their boss has given them ("if you take that vacation, I don't know what we'll do without you"). I believe there is an ego component to this. Not only does it "look good" to upper management, it makes the individual feel like they are indispensable to the company. Only the unimportant people can afford to take vacations.
- bmj 12y ago
  Yeah, agreed. And my friends who admit to thinking this way, also admit to the ego component (and that it is, perhaps, a problem).

01Michael10 12y ago

You actually think people decide whether to take a vacation or not because of what they read in the media and NOT based on the culture of the company they work at?

nsxwolf 12y ago
Notice what I said here: "If you're afraid of taking vacation only because of what you've heard from the media" If you're afraid of taking vacation because of first hand knowledge about the culture of your company wrt vacations, by all means, be afraid of taking time off.
- 01Michael10 12y ago
  My point is people are not taking their vacation because of something they read in the media so I think your question and concern were unnecessary.
  - nsxwolf 12y ago
    Oh, okay. Sorry for posting then.

jonnathanson 12y ago

"I wonder how many people in the US don't take their vacation days because they've read things like this and not because of their own experience." It's been my experience that one's freedom to take vacation -- not just technical freedom, but emotional freedom -- really depends on the company's culture in general, and on one's boss in specific. Sure, a lot of it is psychological. But if you've never worked for a boss or company who explicitly discourage vacation, legitimate sick days, etc., then at least know that those people and those companies exist. I can't tell you if they're the exception or if they're the rule. I sincerely hope it's the former. But I do know that they're out there, in great number. For every few employees who've been media-conditioned to fear vacation, there's a manager who's been media-conditioned to disrespect vacation.