We didn’t invent vacations, just Vacation Wellness™. Along the way, we’ve encountered quite an unhealthy collection of employee vacation myths and misconceptions.

We thought we’d address a few of them here to help clarify the link between vacations, employee health, and business profit.

Myth: Unused employee vacation time isn’t a big deal.  I want my employees working harder anyway!

• Reality: Unused employee vacation time costs American businesses over $530 billion every year, due to increased absentee rate, higher healthcare costs, increased employee turnover rate and burnout, higher employee stress and depression rates, and lower productivity.

Myth: Employee vacations reduce productivity.

• Reality: 82% of executives agree that vacations improve employee productivity.

Myth: There’s too much work to do around here for my employees to take any time off.

• Reality: Well-rested, relaxed employees get more done, faster, and more efficiently. They’ll get all that work done, and then some, if they’re taking the appropriate amount of time to get away and relax on a destination vacation.

Myth: My business saves money when I don’t have to pay vacation time.

• Reality: It costs your business $7 in lost productivity, increased absenteeism and sick time, increased health care costs, and employee turnover for every $1 you “save” on unused employee vacation time.

Myth: Employees don’t really want vacations.

• Reality: The top three employee-requested benefits enhancements are professional development opportunities, work from home options, and more vacations. The first two depend on your business and your employee demographic. But you can give them more and better vacations through a Vacation Wellness™ program.

Myth: Employees don’t need a program to lower vacation costs.

• Reality: The baby boomers are the largest market force in human history. A boomer will retire every ten seconds for the next 18 years. This enormous population segment is driving unprecedented growth in two industries: healthcare and leisure travel. Cost follows demand; without a vacation price shelter, such as a Vacation Wellness™ program, leisure travel will soon be out of financial reach for most employees.

Myth: Having an attractive benefits plan, including popular programs like Vacation Wellness™, really isn’t a big deal. Employees are happy just to have a job.

• Reality: Salary.com reports that your employees are four times more likely to quit their job if they aren’t excited about your wellness plan. Two out of three employees are quietly job hunting right now. It pays to give them a reason to love working for you.

Myth: Vacations don’t reduce stress.

• Reality: Going to the in-laws’ for the weekend isn’t a vacation. Take a real vacation. The medical community agrees: real vacations reduce stress.

Myth: Taking vacations isn’t a health issue.

• Reality: Male vacationers are 32% less likely to develop heart disease, and female vacationers are at 53% less heart attack risk. Non-vacationers are 8 times more likely to die young. And non-vacationers are 2 to 3 times more likely to develop depression, the costliest employee health problem. Vacations reduce stress-related diseases.

Myth: Employees don’t need help taking time off.

• Reality: Only Japanese businesses give fewer vacation days every year than U.S. companies. Yet, 2/3 of American employees didn’t take all of their vacation days last year, and 43% don’t plan to vacation this year. Your employees definitely need your help taking vacations.

Myth: A Vacation Wellness™ benefit is a nice add-on, but not something my employees need.

• Reality: Your employees don’t take all of their vacation time for three reasons: they don’t think you want them to take time off, they don’t think they can afford a vacation, and they don’t want to put up with the planning hassle. Offering a Vacation Wellness program to your staff fixes all three.

Myth: Vacation Wellness™ seems more like a perk than a strategic business investment.

• Reality: A six-to-one return on a Vacation Wellness™ investment is not uncommon.

Fill out the form to receive a detailed specification sheet. You’ll be surprised to learn how affordable Vacation Wellness™is!