Almost Half of Employed Americans Won’t Take a Single Extra Day off This Holiday Season

Most Americans will only take the country’s official holidays away from their desks this year.

More than 32% say they’ll spend just paid holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day) away from their spreadsheets and work phones. That’s almost 50% (45.7%) of respondents who are currently employed.

Another nearly 30% of American workers will add just 1-3 days of holiday time to the winter break, totaling more than 80% of employees who will enjoy 6 or fewer total days off this holiday season.

Little time off may signal that more businesses are staying open more often around the holidays for increased revenue potential and higher customer loyalty. At the same time, so many workers expressing that they won’t take much time off may also point to the potential for burnout and productivity loss; less time off is associated with low employee morale, high turnover, and missed opportunities for strategic planning and reflection which all drag productivity lower.

Gen Z Will Take the Most Time Off for the Holidays

Of those who work, Gen Z is using the most paid time off (PTO) during the holidays, with 20% taking 4 to 7 days, 10% taking 1 to 2 weeks, and 4% taking 3 or more weeks.

Gen Z’s 20-somethings may be more likely to have college jobs that allow for lengthy student holiday breaks or low-level jobs with fewer responsibilities to leave until the new year. Young adults are also more likely to travel to families of origin for the holidays, necessitating more time off. There are also cultural reasons why the generation might be more likely to take time off, from added attention to mental health concerns, prioritization of family, and a rejection of hustle culture.

On the other hand, working boomers plan on taking the least time off this holiday season. While 5.33% of working boomers will take 1 to 2 weeks off the job, those taking 1 to 3 days, 4 to 7 days, and 3+ weeks average less than half of Gen X respondents, the next most likely group to work through the holidays.

Methodology

These survey findings are based on a survey conducted on Nov 5, 2024, and include responses from a representative sample of 1,200 Americans.