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NEW YORK, May 27, 2004—U.S. employees are
hoping to take more time away from the office this summer.
According to American Management Association’s (AMA)
2004 Summer Vacation Plans Survey, 28 percent of respondents
plan to take more vacation days this summer than they did
in 2003; 55 percent plan to take the same number of vacation
days this summer; while 17 percent plan to take fewer days
off than this time last year. The survey also shows that
39 percent of employees plan to be away from the office
for more than a week at a time, up from 33 percent in 2003.
AMA conducted its survey among 335 executive members
and corporate customers from May 3 through May 13 to determine
how the business climate is affecting employees’ ability
to get away. Almost half—45 percent of respondents—plan
to take between 6 and 10 days off; 27 percent are planning
between 1 and 5 days off; 21 percent plan to take between
11 and 15 days off; 3 percent plan between 16 and 20 days
off; and 2 percent plan to take more than 20 days off. Another
2 percent will forgo a summer vacation this year.
“Over the past few years, downsizing has shifted
additional responsibilities to smaller staffs, making it
difficult for many employees to get away. We now are beginning
to see a shift in this trend as the job market and the economy
improve,” said Manny Avramidis, AMA’s senior
vice president for global human resources. “Fears
of being laid off appear to be subsiding so that more employees
feel comfortable about using their well-deserved vacation
days this summer.”
According to AMA’s survey, 58 percent of respondents
plan to contact their office at least once a week while
on vacation (down from 64% in 2003); 37 percent will do
some office-related work at least once a week (down from
40% last year); and 13% plan to be in contact with their
clients or customers at least once a week (down from 17%
last year).
The survey also shows that 46 percent
of respondents are required to leave behind their itineraries
and/or their contact phone numbers while away (up from 44
percent in 2003) and 20 percent of respondents are required
to be in contact with their office (up from 17 percent last
year). Another 13 percent plan to combine a vacation with
a business trip.
About AMA
American Management Association is the world’s leading
membership-based management development organization. Since
1923, it has provided valuable and practical action-oriented
learning programs to business professionals at every stage
of their careers. More than 500,000 AMA customers and members
a year learn new skills and behaviors, gain more confidence,
advance their careers and contribute to the success of their
organizations through a wide range of AMA seminars, conferences
and executive forums, as well as through AMA books and publications,
research, and print and online self-study courses.
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