Employees may be more willing to use their earned time off if artificial intelligence can reduce the burden of catching up on missed work, according to a new study commissioned by Zoom and conducted by Morning Consult. The research found that 76% of workers would use more of their available paid time off (PTO) if AI reliably helped them catch up when they returned to work.
The findings come from Zoom’s Out of Office Index, which examined how knowledge workers experience time away from work and the challenges associated with returning after leave. The study highlights a growing tension between employee wellbeing and workplace productivity, with many workers reporting anxiety about the workload awaiting them after time off.
Return-to-work stress is shaping leave behaviour
According to the report, employees often associate time off with concerns about unread emails, missed decisions and mounting workloads.
Key findings include:
- 61% dread the amount of work waiting for them after PTO.
- 48% feel anxious before their time away even begins.
- 57% left at least some available PTO unused during the past year.
- 42% have considered skipping time off because of work-related stress.
- 68% would rather monitor their inbox while on holiday than return to hundreds of unread messages.
According to the study, many workers spend their time away anticipating the effort required to regain context and restore productivity upon their return.
Whitney Magnuson, Head of Brand Strategy and Activation at Zoom, said the findings quantify a workplace challenge experienced by many employees, managers and teams.
Catching up remains a major workplace burden
The research found that returning from leave often requires a substantial adjustment period.
Among surveyed knowledge workers:
- 77% said unread emails and messages create stress after returning.
- 88% require at least one full day to recover from their absence.
- 53% need three or more days before feeling fully caught up.
A significant proportion of employees continue working additional hours before leave in an effort to reduce disruption during their absence.
The study found 65% of workers put in extra hours before taking PTO to stay ahead of their responsibilities.
Younger employees and managers report higher anxiety
The report identified elevated levels of leave-related stress among both Gen Z employees and managers.
Among Gen Z respondents:
- 52% feel anxious before taking PTO.
- 52% have considered not taking leave because of work stress.
- 65% left some PTO unused during the past year.
Managers reported even higher levels of concern than individual contributors in some areas.
The study found:
- 53% of managers experience anxiety before taking time off, compared with 36% of individual contributors.
- 70% work additional hours before going on leave.
- 60% leave some PTO unused.
AI emerges as a preferred solution
Workers expressed strong interest in using AI tools to simplify the transition back to work. According to the survey:
- 82% want AI-generated summaries of what they missed.
- 80% want automated recaps of decisions made during their absence.
- 79% want AI-created task lists for their first day back.
- 78% would be more likely to fully disconnect if AI could reliably help them catch up.
- 69% believe AI tools could improve work-life balance.
The findings suggest employees increasingly see AI not only as a productivity tool but also as a mechanism for reducing workplace stress associated with time away.
Time off affects team productivity too
The research also examined the organisational impact of employee absences. Workers reported:
- 71% experience work delays when a colleague is away.
- 75% say work linked to a key teammate stalls for at least a day.
- 65% encounter collaboration challenges.
- 60% experience operational inefficiencies when someone is absent.
As organisations seek to maintain continuity, 76% of IT decision-makers surveyed said they plan to invest in productivity and work-continuity technologies over the next 12 months.
New workflows target post-vacation catch-up
Alongside the research, Zoom introduced new ZoomMate Out of Office Workflows designed to support employees before and after leave.
The features include tools that organise ongoing projects before an employee departs, generate summaries of missed meetings and conversations, create prioritised catch-up plans, and categorise action items requiring attention upon return.
The study suggests that reducing the administrative burden of returning from leave could become an increasingly important focus area for employers seeking to improve employee wellbeing while maintaining productivity. As AI adoption accelerates across workplaces, organisations may look to such tools to help employees disconnect more confidently and return to work with greater clarity and context.
