Beyond the Beach! Why “Quiet Vacationing” signals a trust deficit at work

After the much-debated era of “quiet quitting,” a fresh stealth trend is quietly unsettling workplace norms and this time, it’s not about doing less, but disappearing entirely. Dubbed “quiet vacationing”, this emerging behavior sees employees taking unapproved time off while pretending to be online, replying to the occasional Slack message or firing off emails from a beach chair in Bali.

But behind the amusement lies a more serious problem, a growing lack of psychological safety and open communication in the modern workplace. According to Fortune, nearly 4 in 10 millennial employees admit to having taken covert vacations without informing their bosses, far more than Gen Z, Gen X, or boomers.

Experts argue this isn't just a case of entitlement or mischief. Instead, it reflects a crisis of culture, where workers feel penalized for taking legitimate breaks or fear being judged for stepping away. In such an environment, the path of least resistance becomes dishonesty masked as hustle.

Experts believe that if someone who’s usually hyper-responsive suddenly delays replies or answers at odd hours, it could mean they’re away or just burned out. But more importantly, it points to unclear expectations and poor manager-employee communication. Interestingly, this behavior isn’t always about laziness, many “quiet vacationers” are simply trying to decompress without being seen as disengaged. A Resume Builder study revealed that 43% of them only disappear for a few days, some for a full week but almost all do so quietly, because they don’t feel safe asking.

Read More: Banks hike ad and marketing spend by 95% in FY25; BoB publicity outlay jumps 333%

Read More: Walmart to cut hundreds of store-support roles in major restructuring move

Read More: Consultancy: The lucrative second act for veteran ad pros