This new era requires new ways to work, think and live and Millennials are opting to take more, but shorter, vacations then previous generations. A "micro-cation" is defined as a leisure trip that is less than five nights. The majority (57 percent) of Americans did not take a leisure trip longer than four nights in the last year, with Millennials leading this "micro-cation" trend, according to the 2019 Vacation Confidence Index released by Allianz Global Assistance, a leading travel insurance and assistance company. Not only are Americans taking shorter trips, but for many, these micro-cations are replacing the traditional week-long vacation. Micro-cations allow many Americans to travel more frequently, with Millennials saying they’ve taken at least three micro-cations in the last year.
There may be many reasons for the rise of shorter vacations, from budget considerations to not needing as much time if the trip is for a wedding or visiting friends. Another reason: employees may feel backlash from asking for time-off, aka Vacation Shaming. If you’re in a workplace that discourages long amounts of time away from the office or prefer to travel to multiple destinations within a year, with finite or limited vacation days, the best bet is to break them up into smaller trips. Whatever the case may be, there is no doubt that the days of the week-long summer vacation may be disappearing and replaced with more frequent, shorter trips.
Companies should (if they haven’t already), catch on. In order to satisfy this new generation of employees a decent salary is appreciated, but not necessarily enough to make a job worth pursuing, as a third of workers would be happy to lose some pay in exchange for unlimited vacation time, according to another study conducted by Allianz Global Assistance.
With that in mind, why should companies adjust? Because the benefits of offering PTO (paid time off) can lead to higher productivity, innovation and overall job satisfaction, resulting in some real benefits to help retain top talent. Leisure travel can relieve stress, boost employee morale, make your employees more cultured and even get their creative juices flowing.
Here are a few initiatives organizations do to encourage getting out of the office:
Paying for Paid Vacation Time. Yep, you guessed it. Pay your employees to take their paid time off. For example, Moz, a software company in Seattle, pays employees to take their (already paid) vacation. In addition to receiving 21 days of standard paid time off, each employee is given $3,000 a year to spend on their travel related expenses such as airfare, gas, hotels, meals and even pet-sitting! The company believes this is a a great way to reward their team.
Provide Travel Perks. If paying for paid vacation sound a little extreme, many companies invest in company travels perks like discounted hotel stays, car rentals, transportation and free travel insurance for employees and tickets. Burton employees receive season ski passes and “snow days” to hit the slopes after a big snowfall.
Stay Away From Emails. Encourage employees not to look at emails or take work related calls while they’re away. Also, remind them to set up an “out of office” auto response while they’re away, so that they’re emails are minimized. German automaker Daimler takes it to a whole another level and implements a “Mail on Holiday” email policy that ensures its employees are taking full advantage of their time off. Through this policy, employees have the option to set their emails to auto-delete while away from the office, so they’re not overflown with emails then they return from vacation.
Understanding the importance and value of vacation time can create an environment where employees feel supported, valued and appreciated; ultimately retaining and attract top talent while fostering an engaged workforce that feels valued, motivated and committed.