UK workers prioritise holidays over promotions

91% of Brits find the number of holidays offered by a potential employer as the most important factor when looking for work.

That’s according to a survey of 2,000 respondents by luxury travel providers eShores, half of whom had been on holiday in the last 12 months and half who haven’t.

It found that when UK workers were asked which aspects are most important to them when applying for a job, holiday allowance came a close second place behind the salary they would receive (98%) and ahead of a pension plan (89%) and opportunities for promotion (78%). 

The study not only asked people what they were looking for when applying for a job, but also looked at the effects on respondents after taking a holiday.

Some of the benefits found included: 

·         39% had good levels of motivation after a holiday, compared to 24% who hadn’t been away. 

·         43% felt more productive after a holiday, with 28% who didn’t go on holiday reporting good levels of productivity. 

·         Almost half (46%) of those who’d been on holiday reported having good mental health, compared to 34% who hadn’t. 

·         45% said they felt they had a good work-life balance following a holiday, this is compared to 30% who didn’t go away. 

·         37% of those who’d holidayed said they felt happy in their career, with less than a quarter (22%) who didn’t take a holiday saying the same. 

·         41% of respondents who went away described their finances as being good, compared to 26% who hadn’t been away. 

The research also found several other reported benefits from holidaying, including health and mental health improvement: 

·         Nearly half (48%) of those who had been away said they felt good levels of happiness; this is compared to just 33% of those who hadn’t been away.  

·         36% who had been on holiday reported feeling good about their stress levels, compared to 26% who hadn’t. 

Cross-referencing the study with the World Happiness Index shows that countries with more holiday allowance ranked higher. Finland, Denmark, and Norway make up the top three, all of whom have 25 days minimum allowance – five days more than the legal EU minimum. The UK came in tenth place, matching the minimum 20-day holiday allowance. 

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay