Half of Singaporeans find bosses unsupportive of vacation time: poll

SINGAPORE: Almost half of Singaporeans say their bosses are unsupportive of vacation time, revealed the 2012 Vacation Deprivation Study conducted by online travel company Expedia.

The annual study did an online poll with 8,500 employees across 22 countries between September 13 and October 12, including countries such as Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, US, UK, France, Australia, Japan, South Korea and India.

Latest results from the study showed ’pressure from superiors’ as one of the biggest contributing factors to Singaporeans failing to clear all of their annual leave.

The study also revealed that 80 per cent of its Singapore respondents checked on work matters while on holiday, while 41 per cent have postponed vacations for work.

Worryingly, 11 per cent of Singaporeans surveyed indicated that ’work is life’ for them and 14 per cent were under the impression that taking a vacation would trigger negative sentiments in the workplace.

"With the widespread global connectivity we enjoy nowadays, it is not at all surprising that Singaporeans are finding it difficult to detach themselves from work. Furthermore, there might also be a decrease in perceptions of job security that has Singaporeans put in the extra hours at work, even when away on holiday," explained Dan Lynn, CEO, AirAsiaExpedia.

Although bosses came out top in Singaporean’s vacation woes, the survey also found that the inability to coordinate with family also ranked high on Singaporeans’ list of vacation impediments at 32 per cent, followed by lack of planning at 21 per cent.

16 per cent also cited financial considerations as a deterrent when planning for a getaway, up 3 per cent from 2011.

Internationally, the study showed that Asia was the world’s most vacation—deprived region, with employees continuing to take the fewest days off and work the longest weeks.

Japanese and Koreans workers trail the field with the average Japanese worker taking only five out of the 13 days off granted each year and South Koreans taking seven out of a possible 10 vacation days.

In contrast, workers in France, Spain, and Brazil report taking their full 30 vacation days off, while Germans take 28 of a possible 30 days off, and British, Norwegian and Swedish workers taking all 25 days they are given.

Employees in Asia also work the longest weeks with Korean, Singaporean and Taiwanese workers clocking in a staggering average of 44 hours a week.

The Dutch work only 35 hours a week, the fewest among the 22 nations surveyed.

The study also showed that an average of 50 per cent of respondents in Asia were unsure if their bosses were supportive of them taking time off, with 59 per cent of Koreans and 54 per cent of Taiwanese citing their head honchos as an obstacle to taking a holiday,

At 24 per cent, employees in India are the luckiest workers in the region when it comes to receiving positive affirmation from their bosses for taking days off.

— CNA/jc