Workers are too afraid of layoffs to take PTO

Some fear vacation time will put them on the chopping block, but powering through might be doing them more harm than good.

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Spring break season is in full swing, and summer vacations will be here before you know it. Layoff fears, however, have some Americans forgoing their paid time off (PTO) just when they need it the most—but experts warn pushing themselves won’t help their careers, either.

According to a new survey conducted by outplacement services provider Careerminds, 17.5% of American workers worry that using their PTO will make them more vulnerable to layoffs, and an equal proportion believe it will negatively impact performance reviews or promotion opportunities.

“It’s not paranoia; it’s being pragmatic,” says Amanda Augustine, a certified professional career coach for Careerminds. “They’re looking around and trying to figure out, ‘What could potentially put me at risk?’ And they’re saying, ‘I’m going to try and avoid taking PTO if I think it’s going to put me in harm’s way.’”

Augustine doesn’t blame workers who are wary of doing anything that might put a target on their back during this period of job hugging; however, she says the situation is “sad.” “It just illustrates the amount of uncertainty and that instability that so many feel right now when it comes to their job security.”

Some employers, though, seem to be reinforcing the notion that using vacation days is frowned upon. According to the survey, more than 10% of employees say their workplace culture discourages taking PTO.

Younger, Hybrid Workers Take the Least PTO

Layoff fears have grounded vacation plans across the board, but the data suggests hybrid workers and younger staffers are the most afraid of being penalized for taking time off.

While 43% of remote workers and 30% of fully in-office workers say they always take their allotted time off, that number drops below 20% among hybrid employees.

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