Working Vacations
By George Anderson
You might see yourself in these numbers.
Forty percent of respondents to a survey by the American Management Association reported doing office related work while on vacation.
One in four surveyed said they stay in daily contact with their work while taking time off.
Marty Kotis, the owner of real estate development company in Greensboro, N.C., said taking his work along with him on vacation is the only way he can relax. “For me, knowing
that I’m accessible takes away stress,” he said. “Otherwise I would worry that something major could go wrong and I wouldn’t know about it or be able to fix it.”
Experts say Mr. Kotis is far from being alone.
Bernadette Kenny, executive vice president of Lee Hecht Harrison, a global career management services company, told the Christian Science Monitor, “People who deferred
vacations during the depths of the recession for fear of seeming dispensable will finally take the time off that they’re due. But the lines between vacation and work will be increasingly
blurred. Inexpensive cell phone plans and widespread Internet access have made checking in on the office and fielding pressing problems more commonplace.”
Moderator’s Comment: What are your thoughts on the increase in people taking working vacations? What impact is the
blurring of professional and personal life having on consumer marketing and retailing? –
George Anderson – Moderator