Here’s something to tell your boss next time you are speaking to them: taking time off work actually makes you a better employee. In a demanding corporate world, this can be a difficult concept for employers to stomach, but it is true that employers who look after the wellness and wellbeing of their employees often see a great rise in productivity.
That is why many workers feel that they do not get enough time off work, and this can lead to resentment towards fellow colleagues. A survey conducted in 2011 found that 60 percent of childless women surveyed resented their colleagues with children for taking too much time off to look after them, feeling hard done by in comparison.
Another study found that men who take their legally entitled paternity leave are less likely to receive a raise or be promoted. This shows that, even more so than women, men have a hard time being allowed a work/life balance. This is very damaging, as it sends the message that men should be traditional breadwinners and stick to their ‘time honoured’ roles, and equally that the role of raising a family is less important than any kind of corporate role.
American society in particular is more work-orientated than the rest of the world. A survey of the richest 21 nations in the world found out that the United States is the only country where the government does not guarantee any paid vacation for workers, or vacation at all, in fact. Most European nations guarantee around 20 days of holiday, with some extending to as much as 30 or 35 days. Even Japan, which is considered to be one of the most hardworking nations in the world guarantees its workers at least 10 days of vacation (although it must be noted that many workers don’t actually take all of this vacation!)
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