US employees have named heavy workloads and unsupportive workplaces among the top reasons why they could not take paid time off at work, according to a new report.

FlexJobs' latest poll among over 3,000 US respondents revealed that many employees are keeping their time off days brief.

Less than a quarter of employees said they took time off for one to five days (21%) and six to 10 days (21%) in the past year. An even smaller 17% said they took about two weeks.

Only 18% of the respondents said they took more than 15 days of time off in the past year. This is despite the majority of the respondents saying they have paid time off benefits.

Heavy workload emerged as the top reason why employees couldn't take time off, as cited by 43% of the respondents. Other reasons include not having enough PTO (34%) and the fear of falling behind (30%).

Unsupportive workplace culture

Workplaces also have a role in employees' brief PTO days, with 29% saying they feel pressured to appear committed at work, according to the findings.

Another 19% said their employer doesn't clearly support time off.

"Most employees have some form of paid time off, but there's a big difference between a company that offers this benefit and one that actually encourages workers to use it," said Toni Frana, Career Expert Manager at FlexJobs, in a statement.

According to the report, 25% of employees believe their manager or team would likely be discouraging if they took a full week off and completely unplugged.

"Without a company culture that supports rest, many workers feel they can't really step away without risking their professional reputation," Frana said.

The report said true support for rest and recovery "stems from company culture," particularly in how leaders model balance, how teams respond when someone takes time away, and whether employees feel encouraged to disconnect without guilt.

Frana said allowing employees to completely unplug will make them more focused, productive, and engaged when they return to work.

"Encouraging workers to take time off isn't just important in supporting employee wellbeing, but is also critical to talent retention and performance," she added.

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