Post by sillygoosegirl on Sept 16, 2014 16:42:57 GMT -5
I'd say we get mixed messages. My manager always says she supports us taking PTO, and as far as I know she never denies requests. But she makes it no secret how stressed out it makes her when we take vacation, and routinely tells us that this or that 1-4 month block of time is bad for any of us to take vacation (and then she freaks out when we all try to take our vacation around the same time as one another--hello, that's what happens when you tell us we can't take vacation time for large blocks!). This past winter, 2 weeks before DH's and my vacation, she started threatening over email to revoke previously approved PTO (not sure whose she had in mind). I think DH responded to that with an email along the lines of, "don't tempt me to not come back at the end of my vacation." She's backed down since then, but I'm still scared to tick her off with PTO requests. For the most part, people on the team do take their vacation time, so that does keep me from worrying too much--she can't very well hold you back for taking vacation time when everyone does it. Also, I will say she's WAY more positive when I ask for time off for family stuff than for vacations. That kind of annoys me (kind of feel like it's not her business what an employee is off for), but given that I'm pregnant, it's probably not really a long term problem for me personally.
I would like to say, take your vacation, and if there are repercussions, then you'll know it's time for a new job. But I know that's easier said than done, even if you are in a position professionally where you can take that attitude.
OP, my working environment is much like yours. I have five weeks of vacation, and I roll over very little (if any) of it each year. This is very unusual in my organization. We're not allowed to shift any of our work onto others when we go on vacation, so I have to work long hours leading up to and following my vacations . . . but I take them. It's definitely been a mark against me, especially with my current supervisor, who was upset that when said that I wouldn't be checking email on my honeymoon.
Insane Martyr Olympics around these parts. And, folks, I work for an art museum. We're not curing cancer, or even making money.
That kind of culture sucks.
My previous companies were travel related with various busy seasons-golf, wedding, ski. You used your vacation during "off season" only.
Mr. Pom has busy times, but he will get to use all his vacation. It's what I'd call a self-monitoring unspoken "common sense" use policy.
We get #days for PTO - includes vacation, sick days, personal days all in one. There are a few times in the year when we are extra, extra busy and during those times everyone is discouraged from using PTO days (of course illness and other non-preplanned needs are OK'd. - but prescheduled vacations during those time periods are discouraged.)
Post by gibbinator on Sept 16, 2014 18:53:36 GMT -5
I've always taken any benefits I've earned that I want to use (except sick days, I don't take advantage of those). I've been discouraged from taking vacation at peak season when I worked in tourism, and when I had a management position at another job my vacation could get cancelled up to a week prior due to changed training schedules. However, I always made sure I used all my paid days on time because they didn't roll over.
Not really. Only discouragement has been for vacation 2 weeks straight or around end of the month, but still approved. But then again we don't get 4 weeks. I think the max is 3.
We have a generous time off policy, we can accumulate up to 44 days (2 years worth) but then we start losing, I lose days every year, my work load is too heavy to take time off other than at Christmas and a few days in the spring or summer.
Post by heliocentric on Sept 17, 2014 14:30:39 GMT -5
I am not discouraged and can take it whenever I want. In some cases it does require planning for backup since I have a weird, one-off job, but it's never been a problem.
In fact, I once offered to take a conference call while on vacation since we were struggling to find a date that worked for all regions. My boss basically forbid me from doing that. I'm really lucky that my boss and company think recharge time is important.
My last company had an "honor system" PTO policy that HR touted as being awesome, when in reality, no one there really took much time either.
That's how mine is. I have no idea how much I actually take, but I'm definitely not using 4 weeks' worth! But I fully admit that my discomfort with taking vacations is largely in my head. No one has ever been as critical of my vacation time as I am. If you have 4 weeks, and YOUR manager is approving your vacations I would KOKO. Somebody's gotta lead the "hey, vacations are ok to take" charge!