A cruise vacation on a ship like Oasis of the Seas could be an effective antidote for a case of misplaced employee loyalty. (Jerry Garrett Photo)
Did you know that Americans failed to take an average of 459 million vacation days last year that were owed to them? What a staggeringly depressing statistic! Get out of the office, my fellow Americans! Leave your homes! Go someplace!
I owe this statistic to the helpful folks at Weber Shandwick, who sent the information along on behalf of their client Royal Caribbean. Of course, the cruise line can think of no better way to burn off those unused vacation days than to book a cruise with them. But I have to confess, it’s a pretty good suggestion. A cruise is about the best way that I have found to really unplug from the world, and truly get away.
Royal Caribbean has even produced a clever online viral video to help get you in the mood. Or at least to see the error of your ways, if you are failing to take vacation days that are owed to you. Some other statistic they dug up even suggests this year 78 percent of American workers will fail to take up to 10 days off that they are owed. Americans only get an average of 13 paid vacation days a year anyway, “the lowest in the Free World”, the video reminds us.
Meanwhile, those bankers, hedge fund managers, corrupt politicians and oil company tycoons you work for? They’re are off to their yacht races and polo matches as fast as their Bentleys can carry them. Is that loyalty to the cause you are feeling, dear employee? Get over it!
Jerry Garrett
August 31, 2010
