Oklahomans have always taken pride in working hard for what they have. According to a new study by Project Time Off, they also work often. The state ranked fifth-highest in unused vacation time, with 69 percent of workers opting to stay in the office rather than collect sand in their toes at Bricktown Beach.
Maybe it’s the weather — Alaska came in with the third-most vacation days up for grabs while Hawaii used the second-highest number. Perhaps Sooner State workers simply prefer climate-controlled cubicles to sticky, windy summer weather. (Or maybe they just have a lot of work to do.)
Oklahoma’s approximately 9.7 million unused days of freedom go against a national trend that sees American workers using more vacation days, Project Time Off data shows.
Researchers estimated that if Oklahoma workers used all their vacation days, they would add $690 million in direct spending to the state’s economy. Though employees decide for themselves to work rather than sunbathe, the study authors said the issue is more cultural than individual.
“Unfortunately, many of the states with the worst vacation usage work in cultures where workers hear negative or mixed messages about time off more frequently,” the study reads.
We here at Chicken-Fried News would like to be the first to encourage workers to take some well-earned time away from their desks this summer. It’s good for you and the economy.
