74% of Canadian professionals report feeling anxious upon returning to work after taking PTO, with 66% admitting implementing firefighting tactics to reduce the backlog of work they’ll return to.
The Month of July often sees a spike in employee PTO yet new findings from a survey by global talent solutions provider Robert Walters highlights how many Canadian professionals are having their periods of leave overshadowed due to experiencing ‘PTO anxiety’.
Firefighting inbox backlogs
The anxiety surrounding work emails is so widespread that many professionals’ resorts to “firefighting” tactics. In fact, 66% of Canadian professionals check their work emails during PTO to reduce the backlog they’ll face upon returning, while 28% do so to stay on top of urgent matters.
The anxious end to PTO
Findings from Robert Walters reveal that back-to-work anxiety significantly impacts professionals as they return to work, with only 22% of Canadian professionals feeling refreshed and ready to work after a long holiday.
From FOMO to FOFB
Enter FOFB, the fear of falling behind, a new phenomenon that seems to be rife in workplaces. Resoundingly, 46% of professionals across Canada say that it’s much easier to relax on PTO when their teams are also off.
A recent ADP Canada survey revealed that in 2024 only 31% of Canadian workers took all of their allotted vacation days—meaning nearly 69% missed out on some of their paid time off. With trends like “time-off tax” and pressure to avoid looking less committed than peers, many professionals delay or skip taking leave.
Collective leave as a solution?
Across Europe many countries such as Spain and France, businesses often close for part of July and August. Reasons for these ‘summer shutdowns’ include hot weather, scheduled maintenance, and accommodating staff leave.
53% of Canadian professionals noted that they’d be interested in testing out fixed periods of leave in their company.
A further half (20%) of Canadian professionals expressed concerns that adopting such shutdowns could limit their overall flexibility. 35% of Canada employers agreed, stating that implementing such periods would be too disruptive e.g. too costly or hampering productivity.
Here are some top tips on how leaders can help staff optimize their PTO:
- Communicate, Don’t Compare: Advise teams to share holiday schedules to keep each other in-the-loop. Reinforcing that the amount of PTO taken doesn’t reflect an employee’s capability or commitment.
- Flexible Leave Policies: Offer adaptable leave arrangements that accommodate individual needs. If a summer shutdown doesn’t suit some employees, consider allowing them to work remotely during that period.
- Mandatory Handovers: Ensure all staff complete thorough handovers before taking leave to minimize the need for them to log in during their time off.
- Support Out-of-Office Adherence: Once out-of-office messages are set, strengthen them by signposting appropriate secondary contacts for any urgent issues.
- Encourage Pre-Leave To-Do Lists: Advise employees to create detailed to-do lists before their leave. This will help them prioritize tasks upon return, making it easier to manage their workload effectively.
- Strengthen company-wide messaging around the right to disconnect – create a culture which supports employees’ right to switch off during holidays, this will help create a more refreshed, engaged returning workforce.
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This entry was posted on August 6, 2025 at 3:24 pm and is filed under Commentary with tags Robert Walters. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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PTO anxiety – 66% of professionals admit to checking work emails on holiday
74% of Canadian professionals report feeling anxious upon returning to work after taking PTO, with 66% admitting implementing firefighting tactics to reduce the backlog of work they’ll return to.
The Month of July often sees a spike in employee PTO yet new findings from a survey by global talent solutions provider Robert Walters highlights how many Canadian professionals are having their periods of leave overshadowed due to experiencing ‘PTO anxiety’.
Firefighting inbox backlogs
The anxiety surrounding work emails is so widespread that many professionals’ resorts to “firefighting” tactics. In fact, 66% of Canadian professionals check their work emails during PTO to reduce the backlog they’ll face upon returning, while 28% do so to stay on top of urgent matters.
The anxious end to PTO
Findings from Robert Walters reveal that back-to-work anxiety significantly impacts professionals as they return to work, with only 22% of Canadian professionals feeling refreshed and ready to work after a long holiday.
From FOMO to FOFB
Enter FOFB, the fear of falling behind, a new phenomenon that seems to be rife in workplaces. Resoundingly, 46% of professionals across Canada say that it’s much easier to relax on PTO when their teams are also off.
A recent ADP Canada survey revealed that in 2024 only 31% of Canadian workers took all of their allotted vacation days—meaning nearly 69% missed out on some of their paid time off. With trends like “time-off tax” and pressure to avoid looking less committed than peers, many professionals delay or skip taking leave.
Collective leave as a solution?
Across Europe many countries such as Spain and France, businesses often close for part of July and August. Reasons for these ‘summer shutdowns’ include hot weather, scheduled maintenance, and accommodating staff leave.
53% of Canadian professionals noted that they’d be interested in testing out fixed periods of leave in their company.
A further half (20%) of Canadian professionals expressed concerns that adopting such shutdowns could limit their overall flexibility. 35% of Canada employers agreed, stating that implementing such periods would be too disruptive e.g. too costly or hampering productivity.
Here are some top tips on how leaders can help staff optimize their PTO:
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This entry was posted on August 6, 2025 at 3:24 pm and is filed under Commentary with tags Robert Walters. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.