Minions afraid to take vacation days?

Spritzler Report staff workers receive 4 weeks of paid vacation each year. Ironic that we have few that have ever taken advantage? Except for those two who were let go and now work for the New York Times.

Americans will take even less vacation time in 2026

Staying put is the primary goal of U.S. career professionals, and visibility is seen as the main ingredient in that recipe

By Brian O'Connell, Quartz Media

Updated Friday 12:20 AM

U.S. career professionals may be hopeful for 2026 on the employment stability front, but it looks like they’re not taking any chances after a bleak 2025. Job one, it seems, is to stay on the job.

According to a recent FlexJobs study, while 82% of full-time workers have paid time off, “many avoid using it due to heavy workloads, manager expectations, and unsupportive company cultures. The study noted 42% took just one to 10 days off, while 25% said their manager “would discourage them from taking a full week away.”

Another survey from Mercer showed that 70% of employees report that inflation and market volatility are increasing financial stress. In comparison, 56% fear for their jobs. In fact, job security ranks among the top three career concerns, along with income and the ability to retire comfortably.

The rise of the professional job-hugger may lead to a fall

Staying put is the primary goal of U.S. career professionals, and visibility is the main ingredient in that recipe.

“Being an employment lawyer for employees, I am witnessing a shift in mentality as 2026 approaches,” said Kelsey Szamet, a partner at the law firm Kingsley Szamet Employment Lawyers. “Now, many employees are concerned about the security of their jobs. The adoption of AI and automation technologies has allowed employees to actually consider their own replaceability before requesting a leave or a holiday, or any kind of time-off benefit.”

“Conversely, these employees usually need the time-off benefits the most,” Szamet added.

So, how does it all play out for worried workers? Let’s take a look at five big reasons behind the ‘no days off’ vibe emanating from the Great American Worker heading into 2026.

Angst, not opportunity, is driving workers to stay on the job, no matter what

“It’s a new mindset in 2026,” said Shelley Smith, CEO of Premier Rapport Inc. and bestselling author of "Thirsty", a tome on workplace culture. “Workers are operating from fear, not strategy. After 35-plus years consulting with over 50 companies, I'm seeing "cultural dehydration," where employees are so worried about appearing indispensable that they're ironically making themselves more replaceable by burning out.”

Employees aren’t reading the room correctly, at their own risk

Most layoffs aren't driven by PTO logs but strategy, budgets, and role redundancy.

“Any time I've had to do a layoff (and I hate to do it), I've focused on the latter,” said Amy Spurling, CEO and founder at Compt Workers, a human resources technology services firm. “Those workers who never step away may think they're protecting themselves, but they may be hurting their own performance, creativity, or resilience over time.”

Spurling believes the risk of employers penalizing employees for taking time off is overestimated. “It’s likely become obvious because companies making such decisions get the spotlight,” she said.

Career confidence is a big differentiator

Spurling said many people will stick to the workplace, but it won't be universal.

“This isn't anything new,” she said. “In uncertain markets, people tend to default to presence as a form of protection. They believe that taking less time off feels like control when so many other variables are outside their control.”

That said, the trend is uneven. "Knowledge workers" in high-demand roles may still take time away confidently, while those in leaner orgs or maybe more vulnerable functions are more likely to self-restrict PTO,” Spurling said. “It's all about perceived risk.”

Those who do take time off could be planning an exit

Workplace experts say people who do take PTO and/or vacation time may still be thinking about their careers, but not in ways employers may expect.

“These employees are looking at the possibility of creating side-hustles, starting their own business, or exploring opportunities to collaborate and create new projects,” said Noelle Federico, CEO at Fortuna Partners, Inc. “The mindset depends largely on the type of person; those who are forward-thinking will be making a backup plan and preparing themselves to pivot.”

Those staffers who prefer the status quo will hunker down and worry about hanging onto what is familiar. “Opportunity exists in every adverse circumstance; you simply require the drive to seek it out. 2026 will be a time for innovators and people who are willing to see things in different ways,” Federico said.

It’s performance over presence

The real risk isn't workers taking their earned time off, it's workers who haven't figured out how to become materially more valuable than they were 12 months ago.

“While tight household budgets may indeed limit expensive vacations, professionals skipping rest out of fear are making a strategic mistake unless they're already taking excessive time away,” said Andrea Jill Miller, CEO at LeadWell Company, a coaching and consulting firm specializing in leadership, performance coaching, and adaptability strategies. “The workers most at risk in 2026 aren't those who vacation; they're those who confuse presence with performance.”

Company leaders need to smarten up on employee burnout

Smith believes companies are making a big mistake by encouraging staff to avoid PTO and vacation days.

“There’s a real time-off paradox,” she said. “Yes, workers will minimize time off, but here's what they don't realize: the employees who get laid off are often the exhausted, low-energy ones, not the refreshed, high-performers. Proximity isn't protection.”

Career professionals aren’t helping their own cause by shunning time away from the job.

“It's a fatal miscalculation,” Smith noted. “Companies don't keep stressed, depleted people, they keep innovators and problem-solvers. You can't be either when you're running on fumes.”

It’s the innovative company leaders who recognize that "all hands on deck" with exhausted hands leads to mistakes, turnover, and cultural bankruptcy. “Fire-resistant cultures actually mandate time off because they understand sustainable performance beats performative presence,” Smith added.