Around 37% of U.S. millennial workers have taken a secret vacation without informing their manager or employer, according to a recent Harris Poll survey. Pretending to work when not at the office has been a longstanding practice, now facilitated by technology, and has emerged as a trend during the pandemic.
Quiet vacationing, also known as hush trips or workcations, is an emerging trend. Employees, particularly millennials and Gen Z, take time off while still engaging to a level in work-related activities to appear present. In hush trips, employees work remotely from vacation destinations without informing employers. Some "quiet vacationers" schedule work messages outside of hours, and move the mouse to appear busy. Others take it one step further, simulating keyboard activity or using "mouse jigglers" to give an impression of active work. Wells Fargo fired over a dozen employees for such practices.
Popular times for quiet vacationing include Memorial Day weekend and July 4th, with a recent Harris Poll survey revealing that 48% of American workers have practiced it around July 4, and July 5 is a popular day for this trend.
The trend appears to be more common in the United States but also seen in Australia, where employers mostly mandate office attendance despite remote work trends.
Tips intended to help quiet vacationers go unnoticed include advice not to post pictures on social media, and consider Wi-Fi stability.
Some TikTok users blamed poor management and paid-time-off (PTO) policies for the trend. A significant percentage of U.S. employees, particularly younger ones, do not utilize all their paid time off (PTO) due to a work culture that encourages constant productivity, perpetuating an always-on mentality and diminishing the value of vacations.
Other social media commentators noted that as long as work outcomes are met, location shouldn't matter.
Employers can promote a workplace culture that values balance and well-being by setting a positive example.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq
Sources: Axios, Business Insider, Forbes, Newsweek, NBC News, Republic World, Nine, New York Post, Washington Post, Indian Express, News Nation Now, Timeout, Marketwatch, Digg, Fast Company, Finance Yahoo.