A new survey finds that many workers are still checking in while theyre away and some worry AI could make taking PTO feel even riskier
More than half of workers arent fully unplugging: 62% said they checked or responded to work emails, calls, or messages during their most recent vacation, while 55% felt pressure to remain reachable.
AI is adding to PTO anxiety: 26% of workers worry taking vacation could make them appear more replaceable because AI can keep work moving while theyre away. Younger workers are especially concerned.
Many workers return from vacation still feeling burned out: 76% said theyve felt like they needed another vacation immediately after returning, suggesting that time off doesnt always mean truly disconnecting from work.
Vacation is supposed to be a chance to step away from work, recharge, and enjoy some time without thinking about your inbox. But for many Americans, actually unplugging can be easier said than done.
Between checking emails, answering messages and staying available for work emergencies, plenty of workers find themselves bringing their jobs along for the trip.
And now, there may be a new source of PTO anxiety: artificial intelligence.
A new survey from NumberBarn found that more than one in four employed Americans worry taking vacation could make them seem more replaceable because AI can keep work moving while theyre away.
ConsumerAffairs spoke with Collin Czarnecki, research lead at NumberBarn, to explore whether AI could make it even harder for employees to feel comfortable stepping away from work.
Methodology
NumberBarn surveyed 1,134 employed Americans in June 2026 about their vacation and PTO habits, workplace expectations, and attitudes toward disconnecting from work.
The survey included full-time and part-time employees, as well as self-employed workers, freelancers and independent contractors. Respondents answered questions about communicating with work while on vacation, employer expectations, PTO use, social media, and how artificial intelligence is affecting their views of taking time off.
Key Findings
Heres a look at what the survey found:
Nearly two-thirds (62%) of respondents said they checked or responded to work emails, calls, or messages during their most recent vacation.
55% said they felt pressure from an employer, manager, or client to remain reachable.
Nearly one-third (32%) said they had secretly worked while on vacation.
39% said they had interrupted or changed vacation plans because of a work issue.
26% of workers said they worry taking vacation could make them appear more replaceable because AI can continue performing work while they're away.
33% of those ages 18 to 29 said AI has made them less comfortable taking vacation, compared with 19% of workers ages 30 to 44 and 15.1% of those 60 and older.
Overall, 76% said they've felt like they needed another vacation immediately after returning from one.
AI is creating more stress
These findings highlight the stress that AI is causing many employees who want to take vacations.
Taking a vacation is supposed to reduce stress, but AI is giving some workers a new reason to worry about stepping away from work, Czarnecki said. Most of the anxiety comes down to job security and the pressure employees already feel to prove their value at work. Among workers who said AI has made them less comfortable taking vacation, more than half (55%) worry they'll appear more replaceable, while half feel a greater need to prove their value.
When it comes to PTO and taking time off, AI adds a new layer to an anxiety that was already there. Employees have always worried about falling behind or how taking time off might be perceived, but now there's an added question of, If AI can keep doing parts of my job while I'm gone, what does that say about how necessary I am?
The pressure to keep up
Before AI, many employees felt the pressure to keep up with their email inboxes or messages from coworkers while on vacation. However, the introduction of Ai has only intensified that.
Czarnecki explained that one-third of those who are less comfortable taking vacation because of AI say the technology has raised productivity expectations at work which is part of a bigger workplace culture issue especially when employees already feel a sense of guilt for taking PTO.
As AI allows work to move faster, there's a risk that employees start feeling like they have to keep up with that pace, even when they're supposed to be taking time off, he said.
Take advantage of your vacation time
If youre thinking about taking a vacation, or youre stressed about falling behind at work, Czarnecki recommends that employees take advantage of their vacation time.
For younger workers especially, it's important to set expectations before taking time off, he said. Make sure coworkers know what's covered, what actually constitutes an emergency, and whether you'll be reachable at all. Then, as difficult as it can be, remember to actually disconnect.
Younger workers may naturally feel like they have more to prove, but constantly checking email or Slack from vacation can reinforce the expectation that you're always available, which isn't much of a vacation.
AI should be making things easier
Despite this surveys findings, AI tools should make employees jobs easier not more stressful.
AI adds another layer of anxiety to a workforce that already has a hard time disconnecting, Czarnecki said.
He pointed to several of the study findings that revealed exactly that:
62% checked or responded to work during their most recent vacation.
60% regularly worked extra before taking time off.
40% have started working before their vacation officially ended.
76% say they've come back feeling like they need another vacation.
One of the findings that stands out in the study is that 32% of workers have secretly worked on vacation without telling the people they're traveling with, Czarnecki said. That suggests the pressure isn't always coming from an explicit company policy. Some workers have internalized the idea that they need to stay productive even when they're taking time off.
Ideally, AI should be making it easier for people to step away because work can continue while they're gone.
Posted: 2026-09-01 15:12:45
