Senior leaders are more likely to check in with work while on vacation than other employees, a recent LinkedIn survey found.
Here are five takeaways from the survey, which took place from June 15 to Sept. 20 and included 15,669 U.S. workers, and other LinkedIn data.
1. More than half of U.S. employees surveyed do not fully unplug while using PTO.
Fifty-eight percent of respondents said they check in with work during vacation. This was slightly higher than individual contributors who responded, at 54%.
2. The percentage of those working or checking in during time off was higher for leaders.
At the manager level, the share of employees checking in during time off was 70%, and was 77% for those who are directors or a higher level, according to the Oct. 3 LinkedIn News post.
3. Feelings of guilt for not working also were higher for leaders.
Individual contributors reported similar levels of guilt for not working as the U.S. average: 35% and 36%, respectively. It was slightly higher for managers, at 37%, and directors, at 41%.
4. A separate LinkedIn survey found that unplugging differed by organization size.
Employees at larger organizations were less likely to check in with work on vacation and less likely to feel guilty about not working.
A previous LinkedIn survey found employees at larger organizations were also more likely to feel burned out, which could lead to using more PTO, according to LinkedIn News.
5. Healthcare executives are not immune to the urge to check emails or answer calls while on vacation.
Jandel Allen-Davis, MD, president and CEO of Englewood, Colo.-based Craig Hospital, previously told Becker's she does not feel guilty taking time off, but she does not fully unplug while on vacation.
She said she finds it "nearly impossible" to fully unplug as a hospital or health system CEO, partially due to the volume of emails received each day.
"It's not about not trusting the team to do the work and know the place is going to run fine without me," Dr. Allen-Davis said. "It's actually about the tax you pay when you return if you fully unplug, and one of those taxes is email."