Employees are taking time off without formally requesting it

PUERTO RICO – ResumeBuilder.com, the premier resource for professional resume templates and career advice, has published a new survey report exploring the prevalence of “quiet vacationing” in 2025. The practice occurs when employees take time off without officially requesting it, often continuing to work or maintaining the appearance of working while away. In total, ResumeBuilder.com surveyed 1,200 full-time U.S. workers in July 2025.

The survey found that 41% of workers have taken a quiet vacation this year, and 39% have already or plan to do so this summer. Gen Z workers are the most likely to engage in the practice, with 66% saying they’ve taken time off without notifying their employer this year. Quiet vacationing is also more common among executives (65%) and fully in-person workers, all of whom reported taking a secret vacation in 2025.

“Executives often have the flexibility to step away discreetly, while Gen Z workers are more likely to find creative ways to stay connected while traveling or taking time off,” says Chief Career Advisor Stacie Haller. “Many employees feel they don’t receive enough vacation days and want to save them. In-office workers may also be quiet vacationing as a way to push back against the lack of remote or hybrid options.”

Among those who quiet vacation, the primary reasons include saving PTO for another time (33%), fearing they might look less dedicated (14%), or not wanting to use PTO at all (13%). Others cite being paid out for unused PTO (12%), anxiety about asking (8%), having a request denied (8%), or concerns about layoffs if they take time off (7%).

The survey also found that 3 in 4 quiet vacationers maintained the appearance of working a full day. Many answered emails (69%), responded to instant messages (60%), took calls (54%), attended virtual meetings (49%), or met deadlines (41%) while away. Some used tools to bypass monitoring software (32%), relied on AI to boost productivity (28%), or had coworkers cover for them (26%). Nearly two-thirds of workers who joined virtual meetings during a quiet vacation used a virtual background to hide their location.

Few workers faced serious consequences for quiet vacationing, though 37% say their employer found out. Of those, 30% were denied a promotion, 29% lost out on a key project, 27% were denied a raise, and 16% were fired. More than half of quiet vacationers say they don’t feel guilty about it.

This survey was commissioned by ResumeBuilder.com and conducted online by the polling platform Pollfish in July 2025. The survey included 1,200 full-time U.S. workers.

To view the complete report, please visit: https://www.resumebuilder.com/6-in-10-gen-z-workers-are-quiet-vacationing-this-summer/

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