A new survey shows nearly half of employees leave work early during summer months, while fewer workers fully disconnect from their jobs during vacation time.
The research, conducted by The Harris Poll for human capital management company Dayforce, found that 47 per cent of full-time employees log off or leave work earlier during summer. The survey of 2,005 workers in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom also revealed concerning trends around vacation disconnection.
Employees find creative ways to balance summer demands
The study shows workers are using various tactics to manage competing demands between productivity expectations and seasonal lifestyle preferences. Forty-five per cent extend their lunch breaks to enjoy warm weather, while 40 per cent admit to calling in sick when not actually ill to create long weekends or attend social events.
More concerning for employers, 34 per cent of respondents use company messaging apps to appear active while not working, and the same percentage leave work early on Fridays without informing their managers.
Despite these behaviors, 79 per cent of employees report feeling pressure from employers or managers to maintain consistent productivity levels year-round, according to the survey results.
Vacation disconnection continues declining trend
The research highlights a troubling pattern for employee well-being. Only 37 per cent of workers completely disconnect from work during vacations this year, down from 39 per cent in 2024 and 47 per cent in 2023.
Work intrusion during personal time takes several forms. Sixteen per cent of employees missed family or friend time due to work obligations during vacation, while 15 per cent worked secretly without others noticing. Eleven per cent pretended to be sick during vacation to justify working instead.
Nearly one in five employees (19 per cent) make no attempt to hide work activities during vacation, with travel companions expecting them to remain connected to their work phones.
Financial and scheduling barriers limit vacation planning
More than seven in 10 employees (71 per cent) identify potential barriers to taking summer vacation. The most common obstacles include affordability concerns (28 per cent), excessive workload preventing time off (20 per cent), and insufficient remaining vacation days (18 per cent).
Employer strategies to address summer work patterns
The survey identifies several approaches organizations can implement to reduce problematic summer behaviors and support genuine time off.
Creating team coverage plans ranks as the top solution, with 39 per cent of employees saying this would increase their comfort with taking summer vacation. The same percentage want managers to model healthy disconnection behaviors and actively encourage vacation use.
Financial support through travel stipends or vacation incentives appeals to 31 per cent of workers, while 29 per cent want clearer, more accessible vacation policy communication.
Survey methodology and scope
The Harris Poll conducted the online survey between May 6-9, 2025, among full-time employed adults aged 18 and older. The research included 1,043 American workers, 479 Canadian employees, and 483 United Kingdom respondents.
Sampling precision ranges from 3.6 percentage points for U.S. results to 5.7 percentage points for Canadian data, using 95 per cent confidence levels.
The findings suggest organizations need systematic approaches to address the growing disconnect between stated vacation policies and actual employee behavior during summer months.
