"Work hard, play hard; enjoy every moment" – Sadly, this mantra is not true for more than two-thirds of American employees.

Before the growth of remote work and other pandemic-inspired employment situations, the lure of a paid vacation was a strong motivational tool for company employees. Spending time away from the daily stressors of an office environment serves as a mental health break and an opportunity to disconnect from all forms of workplace communication.

However, a recent study by the online learning platform ELVTR reveals that one out of five workers in the United States took no vacation time this summer, and another 37% are taking less time off out of fear of losing their jobs during this recession.

Has the economy contributed to the rising disinterest in personal time off and extended vacations? A tendency for employees to forego vacations during economic downturns is a well-known phenomenon for employers. Many employees also reduce or eliminate personal time off after a significant downsizing event.

The ELVTR study also uncovers other factors that have reduced the number of annual vacations workers feel comfortable taking.

Two-thirds of study participants reported performing work during their vacation time, and 35% felt pressured into performing it, while 41% felt guilty if they didn't do so.

Workers surveyed say their employer makes it almost impossible to mute work messages when they are not in the office. 25% are bombarded by work-related text messages while away from the office.

One in five say they're urged, if not flat-out required, to check their work email accounts during vacation time. Approximately 28% also claimed to receive company emails, and 8% made or received social media messages.

General anxiety plays into an inability to cut off all communications with workplaces. A significant 73% of all study participants reported feeling guilty for spending any personal time away from the office. 46% had difficulty making a conscious effort to disconnect from the workplace entirely. More than half (57%) said they felt anxious if they did not check their workplace emails during vacation.

On the other side, one out of four participants in the ELVTR study said they had disrupted other vacationing co-workers, primarily through work-related emails and texts. A smaller percentage used social media sites or phone calls to maintain a connection with out-of-office employees.

This is in spite of 45% admitting their work-related activities negatively affected their traveling companions.

One common reason employees take fewer vacations is a company's financial health downturn. 8% of respondents also expressed concerns about losing their jobs if they took personal time off at a critical time.

But this is a losing proposition for both sides.

Viktor Grekov, business productivity expert and founder of the OKR Software company Oboard, explains, "Long-term, innovation is stifled with the workforce focused on its own problems, turnover rates skyrocket as workers seek better work-life balance elsewhere, and employers get a reputation for disrupting their employees' personal time — and these issues will continue to impact businesses long after economic conditions improve. When faced with immediate challenges, businesses cannot lose sight of their long-term goals. Encouraging employees to sacrifice their personal time won't save your business… You're simply delaying the productivity loss."

Staff reduction can make it difficult or even impossible to delegate the workload to other employees.

"The responsibility then falls on managers to lead by example. Take your vacation, make clear who to contact in your absence, set your boundaries before you leave, and offer the same respect to your colleagues when they're away," Grekov adds.

Experts at ELVTR strongly urge managers and supervisors to demonstrate a willingness to take advantage of company policies concerning accrued vacation time. They should communicate clear instructions on chain-of-command issues before leaving and encourage employees to handle work-related issues on their own. This will demonstrate that complete disconnection from work communication is possible and encouraged.

It often falls on human resource (HR) departments to encourage employees to take advantage of company-funded vacation time or accrued PTO hours. HR experts suggest companies incentivize employees to take advantage of these benefits by switching to a use-it-or-lose PTO policy. While rolling over unused vacation time can be an economic advantage for employees, it also diminishes the incentive for workers to take extended vacations.

Employees, whether working in an office environment or remotely, should view personal downtime as a vital element of their employment. Productivity and creativity suffer when employees reach an emotional breaking point or become burned out. Proper delegation of responsibilities is also an important step. A vacationing employee should not feel guilty or anxious about being unavailable for a few days of personal downtime.

One of the most common reasons employees resist taking vacation time is the dread of performing extra work before the vacation or facing a mountain of accrued work when they return. Employees should discuss these concerns with their supervisors to make the transition from vacation to the workplace as stress-free as possible. Time-sensitive duties can be given a higher priority, for example.

Cashing out accrued company vacation time instead of an actual vacation has been a workplace practice for decades. Some employees take pride in always taking advantage of every day of work. However, a vacation's mental and physical benefits cannot be ignored in favor of a larger paycheck or increased productivity. Even an extended weekend or company-sponsored holiday will help restore the vital work/life balance that creates healthier employees.

Many employees are reluctant to take any time away from the workplace out of fear their company loyalty may be questioned. A company's fast-paced culture can encourage employees not to take personal time off. This work/life imbalance can result in employee burnout, decreased productivity, reduced creativity, and lower company morale.

While employee concerns about "abandoning" the workplace during a critical time can be valid, the toll a relentless work schedule takes on the body and mind must also be addressed by employers and employees alike.

Roman Peskin, co-founder and CEO of ELVTR, observes: "Alarmingly, American workers are being pushed to the brink, with many sacrificing their well-deserved vacations and downtime in the name of productivity. It's high time we hit the 'pause' button on this relentless race. We at ELVTR urge employers and employees alike to join forces in tackling this work-life balance crisis head-on, and let's transform the way we approach time off. After all, a rested mind is a creative and effective one!"

This article was produced by Media Decision and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks. It was distributed by The Associated Press.