Employees are not taking their full PTO in a year. Research from FlexJobs highlights the scope of the issue: Almost a quarter of employees the organization surveyed didn’t take a day off in 2024, while more than 20% took fewer than five days. This is despite the vast majority, more than 80%, having access to paid time off. Even if employees are allowed to roll some unused PTO into the next calendar year, widespread resistance to taking time regularly isn’t a “policy problem,” says Curtis Forbes, founder and CEO of employee engagement platform MustardHub. Instead, Forbes says, “it’s a cultural signal that people believe rest comes with a penalty.”
FlexJobs’ research highlights the link between culture and unused PTO. While about one-third of those who avoided taking time off cite not having enough days saved up, a larger share (43%) blame their workload, saying it’s too heavy to justify time away. Similarly, nearly a third are worried about falling behind, and almost as many say they feel guilt and pressure to demonstrate a commitment to their work. For these employees, “the culture has made stepping away feel costly,” Forbes says. Unused PTO, he adds, is “an early warning sign.” Turnover is the “late one.”
Courtesy of SBAM-approved partner, ASE. Source: HR Executive 11/20/25
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