What is ‘quiet vacationing’? Viral workplace trend where employees take time off without telling their bosses

How do you take time off from your job to maintain that sweet work-life balance? Ideally, you inform your manager about going on a vacation. However, in a latest workplace trend, many are skipping that part and taking time off without informing their bosses. As per reports, this viral trend, called quiet vacationing, is especially gaining popularity among millennials.

Why sneak off without telling your boss?

As per a survey conducted by The Harris Poll, an American market research and analytics company, about 78% of the workers, especially millennials and Gen Z, in the US don't utilise all of their Paid time off (PTO) days, reported CNBC.

Libby Rodney, chief strategy officer at The Harris Poll, told the outlet that young professionals don't take all the PTO because they feel that requesting offs would make them “like slackers.” They reportedly also hesitate to take time off because they feel it will create pressure about “meeting deadlines and being productive.”

Also Read: What is Quit-Tok? All about the latest workplace trend that job experts are cautioning against

Hence, a part of that workforce came up with their own solution, taking the time off that they need but without telling their bosses.

What do employees do when “quiet vacationing”?

According to the Guardian, about 40% of millennials have admitted to following this trend and taking time off without informing their bosses. As per the outlet, some workers employ certain methods while quiet vacationing.

Also Read: Man’s post on ‘unnecessary family ties’ at Indian workplace strikes a chord with people

Some employees create an illusion to maintain the impression that they are working, reported the outlet. They either schedule emails to be sent within working hours or, at times, outside them to give the impression that they are working overtime. Some also periodically move their computer mouse on the company’s messaging platforms to show that they are working when, in reality, they are not.

“There’s a giant workaround culture at play,” Rodney told CNBC. “They will figure out how to get appropriate work-life balance, but it’s happening behind the scenes,” Rodney explained, adding, “It’s not exactly quiet quitting, but more like quiet vacationing.”