__
Half of UK employees do not take their full entitlement of holidays or annual leave, according to an ACAS report based on Glassdoor research.
On average, an employee takes 77 per cent of their annual leave which sees the average full time worker losing 6.5 days leave each year. This time missed is important time to decompress, relax and forget the pressures of work for a short time, returning refreshed either from a sunny holiday or having spent time at home. 44 per cent of workers even admitted working whilst on leave, one in five being contacted by a colleague and 13 per cent by their boss during a break.
Reluctance to take leave does not necessarily come down to a high commitment to the job and it can seriously damage productivity. Absence management expert Adrian Lewis from Activ Absence said:“With 62% of UK employees saying in a survey that their workloads and stress levels have increased over the previous 12 months, UK workers clearly need a break – and the working time regulations exist to provide them with one. It’s time employers encouraged staff to take their full holiday entitlement – over-tired workers aren’t productive anyway. “Conditions which allow stress to thrive are bad for business as well as bad for mental health.
Stress accounted for 37% of all work related ill health cases in 2016 and 45% of all working days lost due to health issues. Companies need to work with their staff to manage the use of holidays, making sure clashes are kept to a minimum and solid dates are agreed that meet regulations. Staff should not be contacted by work when on holiday and employees should be reminded of their leave every now and then so it doesn’t build up.
Please contact HPC HR services for advice regarding your companies policies and practice, details are on this website.
Link to full article on this issue in HR news: http://hrnews.co.uk/strategic-travel-partnerships-tackle-uks-staff-holiday-gap/