The ‘hidden costs’ of vacationing are declining in Canada

On average, Canadians work 20 extra hours to make up for their absence. (Photo: 123RF)

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RÉVEIL-MATIN. This is the first time in six years that Canadians are working so little to make up for their absence from work, we learn in a study released by payroll specialists ADP Canada on Wednesday, December 14, 2022.

The company, which is accustomed to publishing this data on the “hidden costs” of the holiday a few days before the holiday season, shows in its report that before or after a break, they have on average only 20 hours more to spend the compensate for accumulated delays.

Keep in mind that in 2019 or 2020 that number was closer to 33 hours and 34 hours.

As a result, almost 36% of Canadians will not have to work overtime this year before they can enjoy their vacation. Almost half of the respondents cannot say that.

Quebecers appear to be doing better than the Canadian average: 47% of respondents will not be forced to work more, while 41% will have to work at least one to seven hours more.

During the 2019 holiday season, nearly 64% of Canadians and 53% of Quebecers surveyed felt compelled to do more to avoid being overwhelmed by the pile of things to do when they returned.

Time banks not quite exhausted

Although extra leave can attract candidates, not everyone can enjoy the rest allotted to them by their boss, company ADP Canada reveals. And the gap between what is permitted and what is used seems to be getting bigger and bigger.

This year in the province, as in the rest of the country, almost 30% of those surveyed were able to enjoy their entire vacation day. If they couldn’t empty their time bank, 36% of Canadians and 43% of Quebecers could take at least half of it.

However, 29% of Canadians and 23% of Quebecers can’t even say the same thing.

Coast-to-coast, these data, while similar to last year’s, are still well within a few percentage points of 2019 observations, the ADP Canada report highlights.

On average, 48% of people surveyed nationwide were able to take all the vacation time they were granted. In Quebec, that figure reached 64%.

“By helping workers prioritize healthy lifestyle habits at work, companies can help increase employee engagement and retention,” said Heather Haslam, the company’s vice president of marketing, in a statement. 2023 will be an opportunity for employers to empower their workforce on well-being, encouraging workers to charge up and switch off, thereby boosting engagement and productivity.”

It should be remembered that these moments spent outside the workplace have great benefits, as they help relieve stress and improve morale and the level of satisfaction of your team members.

What are you doing in your organization to ensure your employees get the full vacation time they’ve been promised?

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Tyrone Hodgson

Incurable food practitioner. Tv lover. Award-winning social media maven. Internet guru. Travel aficionado.

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