ThunderingQuiet
In Your Mind
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Joined: 12/20/2007
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I retired from the AF in 93. While in the AF it was not uncommon for folks to take 2 or 3 weeks of Leave (vacation) or even more for that matter.
Well after 'retiring' I started working in 'Corporate America'. I typically still take the 2 or 3 weeks vacation. We like to travel out west (leaving for Yellowstone next week) in our motor home from where we live in Georgia so just taking a few days at a time won't work for us.
But when I do this, my co-workers are just flabbergasted. They just don't understand why someone would want to take that much time off away from their job.
Am I the odd ball here? I just don't understand why folks are so 'married' to their jobs.
Something else I find odd. Generally folks (not RVers) here in the southeast just do not understand why anyone would ever want to travel out west. For those folks a big vacation for them is a week in the Caribbean.
When my son was in High School he met only two kids that had ever been west of the Mississippi river and one of those was born in California.
Does anyone else find this odd?
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belfert
Shoreview, MN, USA
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Joined: 10/06/2004
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The higher up you are in corporate america the less likely folks are to use all their vacation or to take more a week at a time. At least this is my perception and what people have told me.
In many large offices there seems to be bias against those who use all their vacation or take long vacations. Those who do so may be considered "slackers" by their employer even though the employer is the one given them the vacation time in the first place.
I get four weeks vacation and I have talked to my manager several times about using all of it. I wanted to be sure if I used the vacation I wouldn't be causing myself problems down the road. I am never gone more than a week simply because I would rather make multiple short trips. Most of my coworkers get 4 or 5 weeks of vacations and they are constantly running up against the 7.5 week limit on accumulated vacation time.
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ThunderingQuiet
In Your Mind
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belfert wrote:In many large offices there seems to be bias against those who use all their vacation or take long vacations. Those who do so may be considered "slackers" by their employer even though the employer is the one given them the vacation time in the first place.
I find that thinking strange. You earn your vacation time, but you might hurt your career if you use it?
I'm only a few years away from 'real' retirement and climbing the corporate ladder is the farthest thing from my mind. There are a couple of ex military folks I work with and they too are perplexed about why other folks just refuse to take vacations.
I've taken 2 and 3 weeks vacations since being at my current employer. They have always approved these 'long' vacations and never given me any hassles. It's just that my co-works don't seem to get it...
I guess it's a military thing.
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Mymaize
Phoenix, Az, USA
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Joined: 07/29/2004
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yep. When I was in nurse management, we had to document whatever time a person took for vacation and it was against you when yearly evals came up.
We were also allowed 7 minutes of "late time" every day on the clock due to parking problems. I had to add every one and two minutes at the end of the year and that also went against the
eval and possibe pay raise.
go figger
bette
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Skid Row Joe
America, Tent Camping and RVing since 1960
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Joined: 04/26/2006
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ThunderingQuiet,
I'm with you. I have taken off from Thanksgiving to after New Years every year since 1973. I also take-off one to two weeks a year numerous times throughout the year. Being self-employed certainly makes a lot possible for some of us. Last October 2007, I took the entire month off travelling around the country in my coach.
If your job is secure, I would do exactly as you are doing, with high praise for enjoying life.
That said, a lot of people are afraid to take much if any time-off, for fear that when they return the company has decided to eliminate the position. I know, because I've seen it happen at some of my accounts I service sales to. Many companies are over-staffed, and sometimes when one leaves on vacation, it becomes apparent.
Other times, people are so dedicated to their employer and workplace mates, that they feel they would be letting them down somehow if they took more than one or two days off at a time.
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Lyman
Colorado Springs, CO
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Joined: 08/08/2005
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If you think your coworkers are odd, consider that almost everywhere except Mexico gets more paid vacation time a year than we do.
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Kajtek1
CA
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Back in Poland I could accumulate vacation time over the years. At one point I had it about 90 days so when I finally went on leave I was gone for about 3 months. But we had good job security there. 
In California being self-employed I dictate my vacation times. Since my wife share love for travel, we average about 45 days for recreation every year.
It happen to us to take 6 weeks continuous vacation more than once.
Than I heard about people growing up in Oakland and at the age of 25 have never been to San Francisco. 1/2 hour drive....
Pessimist sees dark tunnel, optimist sees a light at the end, realist sees lights of coming train.Engineer sees 3 idiots on the tracks.
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ThunderingQuiet
In Your Mind
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No wonder there are so many crazy, vacation starved folks in this country! Oh how I miss my 30 days of military leave.
Second from the BOTTOM of the list - that's something to be proud of.
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Crowe
Billerica, MA USA
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Joined: 01/29/2002
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Having worked in "Corporate America" for 30 years I have found the main reason why people don't take vacation is they are worried their company can survive without them. Some wear it like a badge of courage..."Oh, I haven't taken a vacation in YEARS!". I've had 3 weeks vacation for quite a while now and I use every minute. I've taken two three-week vacations, and far more two week vacations than one week vacations. I make sure I don't schedule time off during crisis times (i.e., end of quarter when I worked in Sales) and make sure I don't conflict with others. Vacation time is MY time, not company time and the day an employer gives me a hard time about taking it is the last day I will work for that employer. My husband is at the Director level at his company and he takes his vacation-all 5 weeks of it-in whatever amounts he wants. The Blackberry and laptop do come with us but conference calls aren't so bad when you are sitting on the beach doing them!
Life is too short to spend it all in one place!
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ThunderingQuiet
In Your Mind
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Crowe wrote:Vacation time is MY time, not company time and the day an employer gives me a hard time about taking it is the last day I will work for that employer.
Now that's the attitude more folks need! I feel the same way you do about vacations too.
Why folks put work over family , I'll never understand.
And as for wearing the 'badge' of not taking vacations - for those folks I say 'get a life'! I'm not impressed.
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