Vacation - Study on vacation behavior: Too little distance from work
Many employees in Germany find it difficult to fully disconnect during their vacations. According to a representative survey commissioned by health insurance provider Pronova BKK, 24 percent return from their main vacation feeling poorly rested, and another 19 percent feel only somewhat rested.
Around the supposedly beautiful time of the year, many employees feel stressed. Roughly 60 percent reported working overtime both before and after their vacation to organize their absence or catch up on work. The survey participants estimated that they worked an average of eight hours of overtime before and after their vacation.
Half check emails voluntarily
According to the survey, nearly half (49 percent) of the participants took at least 15 days off for their main vacation. However, work played a significant role for many people even during this time. Roughly half of the participants checked their emails and nearly two-thirds were contacted for work-related reasons during their free time.
On average, those surveyed reported spending 1.3 hours on work-related tasks each day of their vacation. Young employees aged 18 to 29 reported working an average of two hours. In this age group, only 48 percent felt very good or good after their main vacation. In total, 57 percent of employees and employees reported feeling this way.
Returning early
The vacation ends early for many people: 62 percent were already thinking about work one to two days before the end. Three out of four management personnel reportedly switch back into work mode early to prevent chaos upon their return.
The economist and resilience trainer for Pronova BKK, Patrizia Thamm, advises improved self- and time management to prevent overloads around the vacation. She emphasizes the importance of mental distance to truly enjoy and properly disconnect during the vacation.
During their vacations in Germany, some employees still struggle with work-related tasks, with approximately half checking their emails and nearly two-thirds being contacted for work-related reasons. Despite taking a break, many individuals in the Leverkusen area return from their main vacation feeling only somewhat rested, as suggested by the survey conducted by Pronova BKK.
