More than 62% of employees did not use vacation days throughout the year, highlighting the working conditions and organizational factors that limit their effective access. A recognized right, but limited in practice Although Mexican labor law establishes the right to paid vacations, its exercise is conditioned by internal work dynamics. In a context where Holy Week is positioned as one of the main vacation periods in the country, most workers cannot fully exercise this right, which reveals a structural lag in the labor market. According to data from the talent management platform Buk, only 15% of workers took vacation during this period in 2025. More than half of the vacation periods in Mexico are reduced to a single business day, which prevents adequate physical and mental recovery. This fragmented scheme responds, in part, to the need to maintain daily operations in the absence of personnel, which again places the responsibility on organizational structures. Implications for productivity and well-being Specialists warn that the lack of rest not only affects the health of workers but also the productivity of companies. Work exhaustion, decreased performance, and psychosocial risks are directly linked to the lack of effective recovery periods. In this context, the use of technological tools and analytics is beginning to position itself as an alternative to identify workers who have not taken vacation and to promote their proactive use. Gap between law and labor reality The case of vacations in Mexico reflects a structural contradiction: although the legal framework recognizes the right to rest, its compliance depends largely on organizational culture and the operational conditions of each workplace. On the eve of periods like Holy Week, the challenge for companies and institutions lies not only in granting days off but in ensuring that these translate into effective disconnection. Constant availability has become normalized to the point that 56% of workers consider it positive to remain attentive to their responsibilities even during their days off. This phenomenon reduces the effectiveness of rest: only 5% of employees achieve total disconnection, while the rest remain connected to their work activities through emails, calls, or messages. Workload and lack of planning hinder rest The main obstacle identified is the workload. 26% of workers cite “job responsibility” as the reason for not taking vacation, reflecting deficiencies in task distribution and organizational planning. This is compounded by the lack of clear protocols: 21% of employees report handling urgent matters during their days off, pointing to labor schemes where disconnection is not institutionalized. Fragmentation of rest deepens the problem The pattern of vacation use also reveals limitations. The right to rest in Mexico faces a gap between what is established in law and its real application. Otherwise, rest will continue to be a formal right with limited application in practice.
