A new study suggests the American vacation may become a thing of the past, as increased technology, connectivity and pressure from co-workers and superiors make escaping the office nearly impossible. From 1976 to 2000, Americans enjoyed an average 20.3 days of paid vacation yearly. After 2000, paid vacation days slowly declined. As of last year, the average employee took 16.2 paid vacation days, losing almost an entire working week. When employees do get away, they report an increasing pressure to stay in contact with their office and clients. The study brushes aside thoughts that the economy and consumer confidence may hold blame. Rather, data points to technology innovation and adoption as the deciding factors. As technology advances and new innovations spread, vacation time decreases at a steady rate. Smartphones particularly add to the issue, with approximately 60 percent of all Americans checking their phones at least every hour. A new social construct found in the workplace, sometimes referred to as vacation shaming, also plays a role in employees’ inability to get away. The majority of study respondents say they feel a lack of support from both their bosses and fellow co-workers when taking a day off. Most even say they value their superiors’ opinion over those of their family on whether or not they should use vacation days. Other primary reasons behind not using vacation days include not having anyone to cover work while away, wanting to show loyalty to the company and a fear of being seen as replaceable. In 2015, 55 percent of Americans lost unused vacation time, amounting to 658 million unused days. About a third of these days were at companies where unused vacation days do not roll over or are not paid out. Put simply, employees voluntarily gave their employers millions of days of free work. Employees aren’t the only ones suffering from this loss of time off, however. The study says the missed vacations led to a loss of $233 billion in spending, resulting in $1.6 million jobs terminated. If Americans had simply used their vacation days, the survey says the country could have potentially experienced a $64.5 billion economic upswing. The survey, conducted by GfK, questioned more than 5,500 American employees who work 35 or more hours weekly and receive paid time off, as well as 1,184 company decision makers. The data was then compiled with information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Bureau of Economic Analysis. Do you enjoy your entire allotment of vacation days each year? Do you feel pressured to stay in contact with the office while away? If you’re in a decision-making position, do you encourage your employees to enjoy their paid time off? Email us and let us know. Please include your full name and location with your email.