Welcome to our new web site!
To give our readers a chance to experience all that our new website has to offer, we have made all content freely avaiable, through October 1, 2018.
During this time, print and digital subscribers will not need to log in to view our stories or e-editions.
(BPT) - Unlimited PTO tops the "workplace wishlist" for many employees, with 1 in 5 Americans saying they'd decline a new job if it didn't offer the benefit, according to new Empower research. More than 2 in 5 say all companies should offer unlimited PTO (43%), but despite the popularity, there's not much difference in the amount of time taken off per year, on average: 16 days for those with unlimited and 14 days for those with a limited policy. A two-day difference is small, especially when half (50%) say they'd take off more time if they had an unlimited policy, while nearly 1 in 4 say they'd take less time off (23%).
Over 4 in 5 workers (85%) say using their PTO to go on vacation increases their happiness, but 35% feel anxious requesting the time off. Nearly half of full-time employees (49%) check their work emails while on PTO, and 42% answer them. In the past year, close to 1 in 5 say they've taken a vacation without using PTO days or telling their supervisor; on average, they admit to doing so four times.
PTO perks & policies
When it comes to PTO, some employees believe it's tied to time on the job: 77% say the more tenure a person has at a company, the more PTO they should get, and 37% believe unlimited PTO should only be available to more tenured staff. Over 4 in 10 say new employees should have to wait a year before qualifying for unlimited PTO.
Gen Zers are more likely to support unlimited PTO policies, with 51% believing that all companies should offer it, compared to 32% of Baby Boomers.
PTO strategies and the 4-day workweek
Half of people (51%) strategically schedule their PTO days around national holidays to make the most of their PTO usage. About a third (32%) use their PTO to visit destinations where they may want to retire.
Four-day workweeks are also an attractive benefit, with 16% of employees saying they wouldn't accept a new job without this perk. One in 4 full-time employees are willing to take a pay cut for this arrangement. Of them, 11% say they'd take a cut of over $1,000, and 5% say they'd give up more than $5,000 for the privilege. Gen Zers show the most interest in taking a pay cut for this benefit (31%), and Millennials are most likely to consider taking a cut of over $5,000 (6%) to enjoy a four-day workweek.
Most desired employee benefits
More than a quarter (26%) would consider a lower-paying job if it offered unlimited PTO, while nearly 1 in 5 wouldn't accept a new job without it (19%). On average, employees need at least 15 PTO days annually to consider taking a new job.
Methodology
Empower surveyed 1,028 full-time employees on July 24, 2024.
RO3817048-0924
