Life Could Be a Dream: Majority of People Consider Quitting Job After Vacation

Maybe Stalin was on to something. The famously paranoid dictator automatically assumed that anyone who came in contact with cultures or ideas outside of those in Communist Russia became infected by what he considered the spurious attraction of alien beliefs. In doing so, they became dangerous to his longevity as a leader.  So they had to be dealt with. Which did not usually result in a positive outcome for those in question.

Most American and European bosses are neither so devious nor so well organized (we said most, not all). So their concern that providing too much vacation is probably more of a reflexive stinginess than a dangerously misanthropic world view. We say this admitting, of course, that we do not personally know your supervisor.

But with global competition, 24-7 communications and the debasement of all variable costs, like employees, for instance, getting away does tend to provide some much needed perspective.Which frequently stimulates questions about why one is putting up with tension, abuse, low pay, long hours, uncertainty, stress, reduced benefits, stress, increased workloads, stress, temporary assignments, stress, outsourcing, stress... and, did we mention stress?

The upshot is, as the following article explains, that people come back from vacations, however limited an unexciting, reinvigorated, more sure of themselves and ready to stand up for what they believe and want. Yes, a manager's nightmare.

It is, therefore, of little surprise that a majority of such people, as many as 70 percent by some measures, return from vacation determined to see if they can find a better job, whatever better may mean: more pay, fewer hours, greater respect, meaningful work, etc. This comes at a time when those who actually have full time jobs are feeling less secure about them and so are taking even less time off than usual, especially in the US. We understand why people feel compelled to take employment in less than ideal conditions. So we assume employers realize why those same people will grab something better the minute they have an opportunity to do so. JL

Ryan Grenoble reports in Huffington Post:

Vacations are great for mental health and bad for jobs you hate.
A new survey, conducted by Monster.com, found 70 percent of people are more likely to look for another job after they return from vacation. The results are based on a poll of more than 1,200 people who visited Monster's website in the U.S. between July and August of this year.
“Vacations are a great time for self assessment. They offer free time, relaxation and detachment from your day-to-day routine,” explained Mary Ellen Slayter, Career Advice Expert for Monster.com, in a press release. She continued:

These factors can significantly improve your ability to diagnose a persisting personal obstacle; they also provide the mental clarity needed to carefully consider the life changes required to remedy the source of your strife. ... Returning after a vacation can be hectic and distracting, but don’t allow yourself to forget what you've discovered during your time off.

The findings couldn't come at a more appropriate time. An earlier survey found U.S. workers are using fewer vacation days this year than they did last year, and still staying in touch to answer emails and check in at the office when they're supposedly off the clock.
Lack of adequate vacations also (at least partially) explains why work stress is on the rise, in addition to other contributing factors like poor pay and increasing workloads.