MUMBAI: India is the fifth most vacation deprived nation in the world as the average Indian does not use a fifth of the total number of paid days off allocated in a year. The reasons vary from disapproving bosses to affordability, lack of planning and the outlook that vacations are a luxury and not a necessity.
In this respect though, Indians are better off than the Japanese, Italians, Koreans and Australians as people from these countries had a higher percentage of unused vacation days according to a survey done by an online travel portal. Interestingly called, '2011 Vacation Deprivation study' , the survey is an annual analysis of holidaying habits of employees in 20 countries, including those in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The Japanese comes across as workaholics: Those surveyed took only five days off out of a possible 11 days. "In India, there is an element of guilt involved when applying for a vacation. Consequently, as many as 54 % Indians spend vacations secretly checking work-related emails,'' said Manmeet Ahluwalia, head-marketing, Expedia (India), the company that did the survey. Viewing vacation with guilt though is not a developing-nation trait. The survey says that Brazilians treat vacation as the Europeans do-as an entitlement and not as a luxury. Brazilians get 30 holidays a year and they avail of it all. In contrast, Indians get 25 days of leave on an average annually-the highest in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region and second only to Europeans-but they do not use up to 20% of vacation days allocated. And it seems bosses play a vital role here. "Most workers across the APAC region and Europe, including 28 % Indians said their bosses weren't supportive of them taking vacations,'' the study said. Italian bosses topped the list; 56% of those surveyed said their bosses did not approve of them taking leave for a holiday. This was followed by South Korea, where 52% said that management frowned on vacations. Even if a leave application has been submitted, holidays are frequently postponed around the globe, largely for work-related reasons. Koreans led the list with 66 % respondents saying that they cancelled or postponed a holiday for work, followed by Indians at 62 %. The lowest in this category were the Dutch, with only 22% having ever altered their vacation plans in favour of work.
Another telling finding was that 28% Indians said they would prefer getting paid for their unused holidays and about 29 % said they could not plan their holidays because of work pressure. For Indians, relaxed beach vacations come first and romantic destinations a close second. Globally, the number one destination for holidays is beaches, the preferred season to travel is summer and the number one travel companions are family members. That said, 46% of Indians said they are more likely to travel with friends: the highest percentage among the surveyed nations. Indians also find it hard to let go of work-related tension during a holiday. The survey said that 53% Indians regularly checked work-related emails on vacation. The reverse was true for the Americans where 41% never checked work-related mails on holiday. Europeans completely let go, hardly ever checking their inbox, with the exception of employees from France. Fifty-six per cent French employees checked in on work regularly when on a holiday. "Vacations give you a chance to relax and recharge and the happiest employees tend to be the most productive,'' said Ahluwalia, making a case for well-planned, guilt-free holidays.
In this respect though, Indians are better off than the Japanese, Italians, Koreans and Australians as people from these countries had a higher percentage of unused vacation days according to a survey done by an online travel portal. Interestingly called, '2011 Vacation Deprivation study' , the survey is an annual analysis of holidaying habits of employees in 20 countries, including those in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The Japanese comes across as workaholics: Those surveyed took only five days off out of a possible 11 days. "In India, there is an element of guilt involved when applying for a vacation. Consequently, as many as 54 % Indians spend vacations secretly checking work-related emails,'' said Manmeet Ahluwalia, head-marketing, Expedia (India), the company that did the survey. Viewing vacation with guilt though is not a developing-nation trait. The survey says that Brazilians treat vacation as the Europeans do-as an entitlement and not as a luxury. Brazilians get 30 holidays a year and they avail of it all. In contrast, Indians get 25 days of leave on an average annually-the highest in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region and second only to Europeans-but they do not use up to 20% of vacation days allocated. And it seems bosses play a vital role here. "Most workers across the APAC region and Europe, including 28 % Indians said their bosses weren't supportive of them taking vacations,'' the study said. Italian bosses topped the list; 56% of those surveyed said their bosses did not approve of them taking leave for a holiday. This was followed by South Korea, where 52% said that management frowned on vacations. Even if a leave application has been submitted, holidays are frequently postponed around the globe, largely for work-related reasons. Koreans led the list with 66 % respondents saying that they cancelled or postponed a holiday for work, followed by Indians at 62 %. The lowest in this category were the Dutch, with only 22% having ever altered their vacation plans in favour of work.
Another telling finding was that 28% Indians said they would prefer getting paid for their unused holidays and about 29 % said they could not plan their holidays because of work pressure. For Indians, relaxed beach vacations come first and romantic destinations a close second. Globally, the number one destination for holidays is beaches, the preferred season to travel is summer and the number one travel companions are family members. That said, 46% of Indians said they are more likely to travel with friends: the highest percentage among the surveyed nations. Indians also find it hard to let go of work-related tension during a holiday. The survey said that 53% Indians regularly checked work-related emails on vacation. The reverse was true for the Americans where 41% never checked work-related mails on holiday. Europeans completely let go, hardly ever checking their inbox, with the exception of employees from France. Fifty-six per cent French employees checked in on work regularly when on a holiday. "Vacations give you a chance to relax and recharge and the happiest employees tend to be the most productive,'' said Ahluwalia, making a case for well-planned, guilt-free holidays.