Study reveals the world’s most vacation-deprived employees

The outcome of a recent international survey shows striking differences in working cultures around the world, especially in France where workers take the most vacation days, and Japan and South Korea, where employees take the least.

8,535 working adults from 24 countries were polled on their work-life balance during the 13^th annual “Vacation Deprivation Study”.

The title of the happiest and most well-adjusted employees in the world went to Norwegians, who were the least disgruntled of respondents, with only 17 per cent saying they needed more holidays.

[photo/news.yahoo.com]

Interestingly, the survey reveals that although France leads the world in vacation days (30 days a year), 90 per cent of French respondents said they felt “vacation-deprived”.

The study also found out that while technically the French take the most holidays, an overwhelming majority indicated that they don’t unplug from work, with 93 per cent of French respondents saying they “constantly, regularly or sometimes” check work emails and voicemails while on vacation.

“No one retires wishing they’d spent more time at their desk”

After France, Italian workers said they are also exhausted and in need of a vacation as 83 per cent said they felt vacation-deprived, followed by Spain (78 per cent) and Germany (74 per cent).

The report pointed out that the findings were interesting given that Europeans get more vacation time than any other region. Japanese workers, for instance, are entitled to 18 vacation days a year, but take an average of seven days, leaving 11 days on the table.

“No one retires wishing they’d spent more time at their desk. There are countless reasons that vacation days go unused – failure to plan, worry, forgetfulness, you name it,” the report said in part.

“But rested employees are more productive workers, so taking regular vacations may well help the company more than failing to do so.”

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