Employees in Romania say they need an average of ten consecutive days off, including weekends, to fully recover from work, according to an SD Worx study. The figure is below the European average of 13 days.
More than half of Romanian respondents, or 52%, said they need a holiday lasting between seven and 14 days to fully recharge. Almost one-quarter, or 23%, believe fewer than seven days are sufficient, while 15% need more than two weeks and 10% could not estimate the time required.
Romanian employees currently receive an average of 24 days of paid annual leave but would ideally like approximately 31 days, within what they consider a realistic range for their jobs. Almost two-thirds of respondents, or 64%, believe the ideal annual leave allowance should be at least 30 days.
“The results show that recovery depends not only on the total number of annual leave days, but also on employees’ ability to use them in a way that meets their needs. A sufficiently long period in which to disconnect, combined with breaks spread throughout the year, can support well-being and concentration,” said Ciprian Chiorean, General Manager of SD Worx Romania.
“For employers, the challenge is to offer flexibility while maintaining business continuity and a balanced workload across teams,” he added.
Approximately 80% of Romanian employees must request annual leave in advance. They are required to submit their requests an average of 29 days before taking time off, compared with the European average of 39 days. The remaining 20% said they do not need to request leave in advance.
Meanwhile, only 57% of Romanian respondents said they had used all their annual leave during the previous year. Almost 28% did not take all their available days, while 15% gave a neutral response.
Just over half, or 54%, believe they can take time off without creating additional pressure for themselves or their colleagues. By contrast, 21% said their absence from work creates such pressure.
According to the same study, managers also influence whether employees use their leave. Some 45% of respondents said their managers encourage them to take annual leave regularly, while 26% said they do not receive such support.
The HR & Payroll Pulse 2026 study surveyed 16,500 employees across 16 European countries, including almost 1,000 respondents in Romania. It was conducted by the SD Worx Research Institute between January 27 and February 20, 2026.
irina.marica@romania-insider.com
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