Executives staying more connected with the Office during Vacations.

Out of sight doesn’t necessarily mean out of mind for vacationing executives, a new survey shows. Sixty-one percent of marketing and advertising executives polled recently said they check in with work at least once a day while on break. This compares to 47 percent of executives in 2006 and 38 percent in 2001.

The national study was developed by The Creative Group, a specialized staffing service providing creative, advertising, marketing and web professionals on a project and full-time basis, and conducted by an independent research firm. It is based on 250 telephone interviews — 125 with advertising executives randomly selected from the nation’s 2,000 largest advertising agencies and 125 with senior marketing executives randomly selected from the nation’s 2,000 largest companies.

Advertising and marketing executives were asked, “How often do you check in with work while on vacation?” Their responses:

“For better or worse, technology has made it easier for professionals to check in with the office from just about anywhere,” said Megan Slabinski, executive director of The Creative Group. “While periodic updates may provide peace of mind, being overly connected can detract from the benefits of time spent away from work.”

Slabinski noted that careful planning can help employees disengage while on holiday. “Professionals should prepare for their vacation as if they won’t be available, rather than planning to check in,” said Slabinski. “Handing off projects ahead of time can help workers come back genuinely refreshed.”

The Creative Group offers these tips to help professionals make a clean break from the office:

— Put someone on point. Managers should select someone whose judgment they trust to make decisions in their absence. It’s important to give the point person the responsibility and authority to make judgment calls.

— Establish ground rules. If you need to check in, set specific times when you’ll be checking in, rather than having people contact you throughout the day.

— Don’t leave them hanging. Use out-of-office functions to let your clients and customers know when you’re away, and provide the names and contact information of colleagues to contact in your absence.

— Let it go. Delegate projects that must continue in your absence. Be sure to let coworkers know where to find key materials.

— Bring in reinforcements. Hiring temporary or freelance professionals to bridge gaps can help projects stay on course while you’re gone.

— Consider remote locales. If you have a hard time breaking away from the office, consider vacationing in a spot that doesn’t have cell phone or Internet access.

For more information at http://www.creativegroup.com