Among generations, Generation Z — those born in 1997 or later — struggle the most to disconnect from work.
That is according to LinkedIn's Workforce Confidence Index, which is based on a quantitative online survey distributed to LinkedIn members via email biweekly. The latest findings, published Aug. 9, are based on a survey of 9,461 U.S. professionals in June and July.
During the survey's interviews, only 58 percent of Gen Zers said they were planning to take some vacation and completely unplug in the next few months, compared with 64 percent of millennials, 62 percent of Gen Xers, and 64 percent of baby boomers. This is four percentage points below the overall U.S. average of 62 percent, according to the Workforce Confidence Index.
More Gen Zers than other generations also said they feel guilty not working when on vacation. Thirty-one percent of Gen Zers said they have no vacation plans this year due to the economy, compared with 30 percent of millennials, 30 percent of Gen Xers, and 25 percent of baby boomers.
LinkedIn noted that "perhaps the concept of a totally unplugged vacation is at odds with Gen Zers' tempo. If everyday life is full of moments that involve texting, glancing at a document and listening to a presentation — all at once — the notion of completely decoupling from anything (including work) can seem odd."
LinkedIn also noted that those early in their career may feel greater financial strain and that many employers don't allocate vacation time evenly among generations.
Read more about the findings here.