Quiet Vacationing for the Fourth of July: A Growing Trend Among Gen Zers and Millennials

By Kareen Liez

Jul 04, 2024 09:43 AM EDT

A record of 70.9 million people will travel this week for Independence Day, making it the busiest holiday ever in history. However, some employees do not request for paid time off (PTO) or leave.

New Harris Poll research involving 1,274 US workers indicated that over half of all millennials and Gen Z employees “quiet vacationed” during the July 4th holiday week — took days off without asking for time off in an official way. This is expected to remain consistent through this year’s holiday season.

Always Being Available Pressures

According to Tim Osiecki, director of thought leadership and trends at The Harris Poll, young professionals are reluctant to request PTO because they feel compelled to be “constantly available and productive,” even during a holiday week.

Gen Xers and millennials might also resort to silent vacations as an alternative to dealing with fewer leaves of absence due to burnout from working more hours.

"Employees aren't trying to deceive or shirk their responsibilities," Osiecki adds. "They're simply trying to find a way to balance their need for rest with the demands of their jobs"

One of The Least Productive Weeks of The Year

This year, July 4 falls on a Thursday – sandwiched between two working days – which exacerbates the already-existing productivity dip around this public holiday.

The Harris Poll showed that slightly above half (53%) of Generation Z and millennial respondents claimed that they hardly do anything at all on July 4.

There are few other times each year when more people travel than around Independence Day; however, only one out of ten companies surveyed shut down operations for the entire workweek surrounding July 4th.

Most Gen Zs and millennial staff believe having the full week off would enable them to be more productive, work harder, and take on greater responsibilities in their current positions.

This small tradeoff might help increase the level of focus of individuals during one of the “least productive” seasons of the year, Mr. Osiecki remarks.

A Red Flag for a Bad Workplace Culture

Osiecki said that if workers need to slink away from the office, it's a red flag that the company doesn't have a supportive culture and has no effective PTO system.

Employees especially younger ones are scared to ask for time off. In another Harris Poll survey, half of workers admitted they worry about requesting time off. Gen Z respondents were 58%, while millennials were 61%.

Many Americans said they wished their bosses understood the importance of taking breaks from work.

"Managers need to recognize that 'quiet vacationing' isn't a passive trend, but a symptom of a larger issue: employees feeling uncomfortable or unsupported in taking time off," asserts Osiecki. "It signals that there might be a lack of trust or communication breakdown between managers and their teams."

Getting Over The Summer Slump with Good PTO Policies

During summertime, when temperatures rise, most organizations experience a summer slump – longer holidays, shorter days at work, decreased productivity, or lower team spirit.

According to Osiecki, bosses can improve productivity over this period by re-evaluating their policies on paid time off, especially those that apply during major leave times such as July.

Employers can offer creative PTO benefits, such as scheduling company-wide week-long breaks at key holidays, legislating a specific number of days off, or giving employees floating holidays for use throughout the year.

Managers should also set a good example by giving clear guidelines on how to request time off, treating themselves like ordinary employees when it comes to PTO, and supporting their staff whenever they ask for leave.

The advantages of building a supportive vacation policy extend long past the summer holiday period, Osiecki notes. He said that it's understandable if workers need to rest and that respecting this will make them more loyal and productive.