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A new survey reveals that employees rank mental health days as the best resource to manage stress and anxiety. So why do nearly two-thirds of workers leave vacation time on the table? An expert says the reasons are driven by internal pressure, workload, and company culture — and he cautions that burnout solutions require behavioral science-backed strategies, not just perks.
Wondr Health, a digital weight-management solutions provider, polled nearly 2,000 employees on mental health management. Respondents reported that time off or mental health days (21.5%) are the most effective resource to reduce stress and anxiety. But a separate 2024 survey found that 62% of U.S. workers do not take advantage of all their allotted vacation days — letting roughly one-third of it go to waste. Not utilizing this paid time off has a significant impact on employees and can lead to increased stress, higher risk of depression and physical health issues, and decreased productivity, according to Wondr Health officials.
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“The most common reasons we see for people skipping PTO include things like internalized pressure, heavy workloads, and organizational culture,” Tim Church, chief medical officer for Wondr Health said in a statement. “Time poverty is a big driver of burnout and overall diminished health and life/work satisfaction. The findings show how important time off and flexibility are and signal that employers need to honestly evaluate how their current culture and policies may be impacting PTO hesitancy, burnout, and subsequent impacts on health and wellness.”
Employees ranked flexible work hours and remote options as the second most important resource for stress management, underscoring the value of balance. Physical activity and emotional wellbeing resources also ranked high, suggesting a strong demand for holistic behavioral and lifestyle change support.
Here’s a breakdown of the most important mental health resources, according to employees:
- Time off or mental health days: 21.5%
- Flexible work hours or remote work options: 15.4%
- Support for physical activity: 14.3%
- Emotional wellbeing content: 13.3%
- Live and on-demand mindfulness sessions: 9.8%
- Resources to improve sleep: 9.7%
- Access to health coaching; 7.3%
- A supportive manager: 6%
- An online support community: 2.5%
“Even if your employees are utilizing their PTO, they may not be able to fully unplug and get the most out of their vacation,” Church added. “Burnout is a complex issue that requires a multi-faceted approach to resolve. But what really drives long-term mental and physical health is always rooted in behavior change. To be ahead of the curve, employers should focus on crafting a wellness strategy firmly rooted in behavioral science to truly help employees build the skills they need to reclaim their time and navigate stress to boost overall health and productivity.”
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