Take your PTO, get a raise

WHAT’S ON DECK

• Tell Me More: Extra pay for PTO? It’s a thing.

• Troublemaker Spotlight: Shea Holbrook, Owner & Team Principal at BSI Racing

• Dear FQ: I’m an introvert. How can I make myself visible at work?

• Poll the Pack: How employee satisfaction changed over 5 years

TELL ME MORE

How using all of your vacation time increases your chance of getting a raise

Summer is in full swing, holidays are booked, and employees are… not taking their time off? For many families, summer means higher childcare costs, camp fees, and travel expenses. Taking time off, even when it's paid, requires financial gymnastics that many employees simply can't manage. It’s the ultimate catch-22: Having paid time off doesn't mean employees can actually afford to use it.

Many countries across the globe have already developed solutions to the PTO problem. Dutch employees receive "vakantiegeld,” an extra 8% of their annual salary paid out each May. In the Netherlands it’s not just a perk, it’s the law. 

Austria takes it one step further with 13th and 14th month salaries, extra payments twice a year to help employees cope with holiday expenses and summer vacation costs. These additional payments symbolize employer appreciation and care toward the workforce. It’s a widely adopted policy in many European countries, and it recognizes that rest isn't optional, it's essential. And time off without the financial support to use it is meaningless.

The numbers, at a glance: 

• Nearly half of U.S. workers don’t take all of their paid vacation days.

• When asked why they don’t take their PTO, 49% of people say they worry about falling behind at work if they took more vacation days. 

• Managers, in particular, are less likely to take all of their allotted time off. 

Why should we be concerned? Because for every additional 10 hours of vacation time employees take, their year-end performance improves by 8%. On top of that, using all your vacation time statistically increases your chances of getting a promotion or raise. Say it louder for the people in the back! 🗣️ Rest directly translates to better results and career advancement. 

And it makes sense. Talk to anyone who’s come back from vacation, and they’re filled with new ideas and fresh perspectives.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Tony, Grammy, and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and writer, came up with the idea for Hamilton while on vacation. “It’s no accident that the best idea I’ve ever had in my life, perhaps maybe the best one I’ll ever have in my life, came to me on vacation,” he shared. “The moment my brain got a moment’s rest, Hamilton walked into it.”

Rest is essential for productivity, wellbeing, and actually showing up as your best self at work. It’s time more companies took a page from the Dutch playbook and made vacation time something employees can actually afford to take. Companies serious about employee wellbeing can implement dedicated vacation bonuses separate from regular salary.

It’s a policy rooted in care. For parents, it means breathing room. Flexibility. And a summer that doesn’t force families to scramble to afford care. The solutions exist. Now it’s time for more companies to adopt and promote them.

PRESENTED BY:

We’re all juggling packed schedules, and finding simple, science-backed ways to support our health is key. Seed’s DS-01® Daily Synbiotic is a broad-spectrum probiotic and prebiotic designed for women on-the-go. With 24 clinically and scientifically studied strains, it supports digestive health, gut barrier integrity, gut-immune function, skin health, and more. 

DS-01® makes it easier to prioritize whole-body health every day. Use code FEM25 for 25% off Seed’s DS-01® Daily Synbiotic.

TROUBLEMAKER SPOTLIGHT

Shea Holbrook, Owner & Team Principal at BSI Racing

Most people slow down after 15 years as a professional racecar driver. Shea Holbrook hit the accelerator. The 7-time Pirelli World Challenge winner stepped into the driver’s seat of business ownership and founded BSI Racing, fielding professional teams in IMSA and SRO Motorsports Group. A Guinness World Record holder who earned one of just two American spots in the groundbreaking W Series, Shea's story is featured in the Amazon Prime docuseries, "First to the Finish," which chronicles the Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship. Based in Daytona Beach, she also serves on the boards of Shift Up Now and the Women's Sports Foundation, mentoring the next generation of women athletes.

FQ: What’s the worst career advice you’ve gotten?

I'm a woman in the very male-dominated industry of motorsports. 

Some of the worst advice that I've received is that your male colleagues are not your friends. I was told by a man that, as a woman, I needed to be careful with how I interacted with my male colleagues, because there would always be a male in my industry wanting to keep me down the ranks.

This was horrific advice because, early on in my career, men really championed me. I take great pride in being friends with a lot of my colleagues, employees, and contractors. Ultimately, caring about your people, everything from their role to their family to their personal life, will net any business owner better results in their business.

What’s the best piece of non-obvious career advice you’ve gotten?

Early on in my career, somebody told me, “Show up early.” Whether it's a Zoom call or a sponsorship meeting, whatever it might be, everyone’s time is valuable and important.

Showing up early gives you time to prepare emotionally. It’s critical for everyone, from a business leader to an athlete, to flip that mental switch and get in the zone. So showing up early is a small detail, but it could lead to great results.

What was a “heartbeat moment” for you in your career?

I'm in the Guinness Book of World Records for a paced bicycle land speed record with cyclist Denise Mueller at the Bonneville Salt Flats. No woman had ever tried this before. 

My role as the pacing driver was to create a draft behind my vehicle for her to follow on a regular bicycle. We shattered the record at 184 miles an hour. Imagine falling off a bike at that speed!

The day of, after one failed attempt, I told Denise, "You better keep up because I'm not gonna stop. You're going to annihilate this record, and I'm going to help you do it."

And we did it. I knew minutes before Denise did that we shattered the record because she had no communication out there. And my heart was just exploding. It was so incredible to do something like that, to be a part of something bigger than yourself, and to be a part of somebody else’s success.

Who is one person you’d love to give flowers to from your career that influenced your journey?

My cousin (through marriage) started coming to my races as a teenager. We didn't really connect at first, we had no commonalities, but she kept showing up. Come to find out, she actually started to like motorsports, and we built this incredible bond. 

About 6 or 7 years ago, she told me that I made her feel comfortable at the track and that I brought her into my world in such an authentic way. I realized I was doing it because it actually makes me feel comfortable, too. 

And that became my superpower; connecting with people on all levels, whether they're high up in their business or just starting out. (I should probably send her flowers because I talk about this often, but have never actually communicated it to her.)

Where have you caused trouble?

When I was a young race car driver, I was marketing myself and my partners better than the racing series I was racing for. I was getting a lot of exposure and TV coverage. Initially, the racing series was like, "Wow, Shea's doing a great job." But then, because I was doing such a great job, they started limiting my opportunities because it was becoming the "Shea Show."

I had to pull them aside and say, "You should be taking tips and using this as a way to encourage other drivers to elevate to this level because this should be the standard." A rising tide lifts all boats. I’ve definitely ruffled feathers, but ultimately it netted great results. I can't think of a single titan in any industry who hasn't been a troublemaker along the way.

Want to nominate a “Troublemaker” you admire? You can do so here.

DEAR FQ

Your burning career questions answered

Janis Gilman of The Female Quotient weighs in:

Being the loudest person in the room doesn’t make you the most valuable. Many cultures often reward being an extrovert, and it can be easy to overlook the quiet strengths that drive real impact.

But visibility has its perks, in the form of promotions, salary increases, job assignments, and more. So what can you do to be visible without feeling uncomfortable? Leverage your natural strengths, while strategically increasing your visibility. Here’s what I recommend: 

1. Speak early and with purpose: Challenge yourself to be the second or third person to contribute in a meeting. Prepare key points beforehand so you can jump in before the discussion gets overwhelming and the pressure to “add something” becomes too much. As Benjamin Franklin taught us, "By failing to prepare, you're preparing to fail."
   

2. Use confident language: Replace "Just throwing this out there..." with "Another approach could be...". Your insights deserve authoritative delivery, and this simple word swap speaks volumes.
   

3. Leverage written communication: Make emails, documents, and follow-up summaries your secret weapon. Send meeting prep or thoughtful post-meeting insights to showcase your analytical thinking.
   

4. Seek 1:1 opportunities: Schedule coffee chats, individual meetings with your manager and colleagues, or mentoring sessions. These smaller settings can showcase your thoughtful communication style and help build meaningful connections.

Being successful doesn't mean you have to be the first or the loudest. And you don't have to fake being an extrovert. Remain authentically you, while making sure your strengths and skills are noticed. You got this!

P.S. Got a burning career question? Serve it up here to Dear FQ to score advice from a powerhouse leader in our network.

POLL THE PACK

What satisfaction in the workplace looks like today

The past five years have been anything but ordinary. We've weathered a global pandemic, witnessed the rise of remote work, and seen unprecedented conversations about work-life integration. For both employers and employees, many of these disruptions became catalysts for positive change.

While most employees used to base their workplace happiness on salary alone, the trend has shifted to prioritize culture fit. 

The 34% feeling less satisfied includes companies where rapid change led to increased expectations without corresponding support for workers. This group is a sign that there’s still work to do in terms of resources and development opportunities for employees. But perhaps the most telling statistic is the 9% of employees who report unchanged satisfaction. This suggests that standing still simply wasn't an option for most people over the past five years. 

Career satisfaction is now a moving target that requires attention, and employers should take note. The companies retaining and attracting top talent are those actively evolving their cultures, benefits, and growth opportunities.

🚨 PSA: Take those vacation days!

Xo,

The FQ

Don’t forget to let us know what you think of The FQ Newsletter here.

REFER A FRIEND

Invite your network. Unlock FQ rewards.

We’re committed to making sure everyone has the opportunity to succeed in the workplace. Invite your friends to subscribe to The FQ Newsletter—because when more of us have access to insights and resources, we all advance together. Plus, the more you refer, the more rewards you unlock!

How It Works

• Every subscriber receives a unique referral link.

• Share it via email, LinkedIn, social media, or text.

• Unlock rewards as your friends subscribe.

10 Referrals – 🫘 Coffee on us—because great conversations start over coffee

25 Referrals – ☕ A mug from The Female Quotient’s merch collection

50 Referrals – 👕 A sweatshirt from The Female Quotient’s merch collection

100 Referrals – 👥 A one-on-one coaching session with Shelley Zalis, CEO of The Female Quotient

500 Referrals – ✈️ A trip to join us at a FQ Lounge™ event

You currently have 0 referrals, only 10 away from receiving Coffee On Us.

Or copy and paste your unique referral link to share: https://newsletter.thefemalequotient.com/subscribe?ref=PLACEHOLDER