Survey shows vacationers lie to avoid emails and calls from work

Richmond, VA — Nearly half of U.S. workers tell “little white lies” about cellphone reception or Wi-Fi availability to avoid job-related calls or emails while on vacation, according to an annual report from travel insurance provider Allianz Global Assistance.

For the 2019 Vacation Confidence Index – released Aug. 13 – national polling firm Ipsos Public Affairs, on behalf of Allianz, surveyed more than 2,000 U.S. adults in May and June. Participants answered questions about their vacation plans, including work habits and communications, as well as spending.

Overall, 49% of the participants reported lying about reception and access to Wi-Fi. Men and women were equally dishonest, at 49%.

Other key findings:

• Millennial workers (59%) were most likely to lie, followed by Generation X workers (49%) and baby boomers (32%).
• Participants who make more than $50,000 a year were more likely to lie (53%) than workers making less than $50,000 (39%).
• Millennials (74%) were most likely to check work email while on vacation, followed by baby boomers (63%) and Gen Xers (58%).

“Most working Americans feel pressured to spend their vacations attached to their work email, when they may just need a few days to unplug,” Daniel Durazo, director of marketing and communications at Allianz, said in an Aug. 13 press release. “Consequently, half of U.S. workers are willing to lie about lack of connectivity to set them free from work obligations.”