‘Vacation Shaming’ Is Keeping Millennials From Traveling

A study released by Alamo Rent A Car concluded that Millennials are feeling “vacation shame” from fellow employees and as a result some are not taking their vacation time.

Americans are among the hardest workers on the planet; studies show we take less vacation time than almost anyone. Now a new study suggests that even when people do decide to travel, their coworkers shame them into feeling guilty about it.

The “2016 Alamo Family Vacation Survey”, by Alamo Rent A Car, found that 59% of Millennials are feeling the pressure of “vacation shaming” at work.

Almost half of the 1,500 respondents (47%) said they feel they have to justify their time away from the office, and 42% feel their coworkers are truly shaming them for taking trips, not just joking around.

The survey also revealed that 40% did not use all their vacation time in 2015—and even when they did, 48% talked to work on their cell phones while on vacation, up 4% over last year.

When Millennials do take a break, they tend to take their families along. The survey noted a 10% spike in extended-family trips, to a whopping 73% in the 2016 survey compared to 67% in 2015.

Does that mean mom and dad will be allowing the kids to talk on their cell phones? Survey says: Maybe. A quarter (26%) of parents said they’ll allow their children to use electronics on vacation most of the time, versus 21% last year. But 7% said no way.