“Vacation shaming”—a phenomenon where coworkers make other employees feel shame or guilt for taking a vacation—has become common in the American workplace, and the tactic is most often aimed at Millennials, according to findings from the 2016 Alamo Family Vacation Survey.
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Millennials were also more likely to feel guilty about taking time off, according to Alamo Rent A Car. The research shows that more than half (59%) of employed Millennials (age 18 to 34) reported feeling a sense of shame for taking or planning a vacation compared with 41% of workers who are 35 years or older.
The survey results indicate that vacation shaming is affecting all generations. Almost half (47%) of all workers surveyed said they felt shame or guilt at their workplace for going on vacation. And 22% of respondents reported that feeling shame was at least somewhat likely to keep them from going on or planning a vacation.