When work gets to be too much, many employees look forward to the respite a vacation can provide. However, research is mixed on whether the benefits of vacation actually last, how long they last, and what types of vacations are best for employees. A new meta-analysis, or statistical combination of many past studies, examined over 30 studies to provide insight into just how good vacations are for workers.
THE RESEARCH STUDY
The researchers (Grant et al., 2025) found that employee well-being improved during and shortly after vacation compared to pre-vacation levels. Although the effects on well-being generally declined after vacation, employees’ well-being levels remained higher than pre-vacation levels for an average of 21 days.
Interestingly, several features of the vacation itself seemed to impact the extent to which it was beneficial for employees. Longer vacations were associated with sharper increases in well-being, but also a sharper decline when returning to work. Physical activities (e.g., hiking) showed the strongest relationship with well-being, followed by social activities (e.g., dinner with friends), while passive activities (e.g., lounging by pool) had no effect. Employees who psychologically detached from work during vacation also reaped more benefits than those who stayed connected to work while away.
PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
The benefits of vacation for employee well-being seem to be longer-lasting than previously thought. The researchers estimated that the effects may last as long as 43 days before employees return to their pre-vacation baseline. Thus, organizations should encourage employees to use their days off and avoid a culture of penalizing those who use vacation time. For employees, completely detaching from work and engaging in physical activity may be critical for maximizing well-being benefits.
Grant, R. S., Buchanan, B. E., & Shockley, K. M. (2025). I need a vacation: A meta-analysis of vacation and employee well-being. Journal of Applied Psychology. Advance online publication.
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