 Vacation? What Vacation?: Most Executives Still on the
Job While Away From the Office, Survey Shows
Executives
may be checking laptops and PDAs as often as football
scores and weather reports this holiday season. In a
recent survey, more than three-quarters (76 percent) of
executives said they attend to office duties at least a
few times a week while on vacation; 33 percent said they
conduct business every day when away from the office.
When the same question was asked of employees in a
separate survey, only one-quarter (26 percent) of
respondents said they attend to business matters when
taking time off. The majority of workers surveyed (54
percent) said they never work during their vacations.
The two surveys were developed by
OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service specializing in
the placement of highly skilled administrative
professionals. They were conducted by an independent
research firm and include responses from 150 senior
executives at the nation's 1,000 largest companies, and
559 full- or part-time workers 18 years of age or older
and employed in office environments.
"Executives may find it difficult to
completely disconnect from their jobs as they often have
a wide range of responsibilities and few people who can
assume their duties while they're away," said Diane
Domeyer, executive director of OfficeTeam. "Advances in
technology make it possible to stay connected to the
office 24/7, but everyone needs time to recharge or they
may return from their breaks as weary as when they
left."
OfficeTeam offers the following five tips for taking
the "work" out of vacations:
- Time it right. If possible, schedule a break during a traditionally calm
time in your office. For example, the last week of December might be
quieter than usual because clients and customers also may be taking time
off. Submit vacation requests early to secure your desired dates.
- Get the word out. Tell clients and customers about your holiday plans and
provide the names of team members to contact in your absence. Use your
e-mail's out-of-office function to let people know you're away.
- Assign a decision maker. Designate someone whose judgment you trust to
make decisions while you're on vacation. Let that person know where key
information is kept and how your files are organized.
- Unplug. While it's tempting to bring your laptop or PDA with you,
consider leaving these devices at home unless absolutely necessary. If
you bring them, leave them in your room and check them only periodically.
- Establish office hours. If you must check in with the office, plan ahead.
Provide your team with the days and times you'll be checking messages so
you can avoid interruptions or the feeling that you're "on call."
Source:PR NEwswire / OfficeTeam |
Survey Results
Executives and employees were each asked, "How often
do you work while on vacation?" Their responses:
Managers Employees
Every day 33% 10%
A few times a week 43% 16%
Rarely 20% 18%
Never 4% 54%
Don't know 0% 2%
More Business Articles
 Website Domain Name
Selection
Free
Advertising Techniques For The Internet
Wholesale Negotiating Tips
The One
Word Every Prospect Craves
Project Management
Success Practices
Sitemap
Interesting Sites
Advertise
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Contact Us |