Millions of workers arenโt taking all of their annual leave – because they have too much work to do, or feel their boss wouldnโt approve it.
A poll of 2,000 office workers found that out of the average 28-day entitlement, 28 per cent of staff leave five days a year unclaimed.
One in 10 adults say they donโt have anyone they can hand work over to, so end up staying to do it themselves.
And the same figure describe taking a holiday as โpointlessโ because theyโd only end up working through it anyway.
A third of respondents even admit to having F.O.A.L โ a โfear of annual leaveโ.
Chris Logan, Managing Director at Crystal Ski Holidays, which commissioned the research in conjunction with the launch of new short break ski holidays, said: โNot every employer is happy to sign off holiday requests.
โAnd not all staff feel comfortable booking leave, fearing they wonโt be able to switch off from work anyway.
โThe findings suggest more than three million office workers arenโt using all the leave they are entitled to, which means huge numbers of adults who are probably stressed, over-worked and over-tired by the end of the year.
โOf those that do take leave, many like to use it for short breaks, which could take away some of the stressed incurred by longer holidays, and reduce the fear of annual leave.โ
Researchers for Crystal Ski Holidays hit the High Street to see how the general public view booking annual leave.
The study found the average worker isnโt comfortable booking any more than eight days holiday in one go – with one fifth preferring to book four days or less.
And one quarter of employers claim to feel happier using annual leave for shorter breaks.
The majority of those polled do manage to enjoy their time off when they take it, but just under one in 20 canโt enjoy a holiday because of work stress.
This is because they spend the whole time thinking about work (30 per cent), feeling guilty about being off (17 per cent) or check their emails anyway (18 per cent).
A third are hesitant to request annual leave because they worry what their boss will think, and the same amount believe a holiday isnโt worth the stress of compiling a mega-handover.
Another one in five dilly-dally over putting in a holiday form because their colleagues rarely take any and they donโt want to appear less hardworking.
A quarter even believe taking their vacation entitlement would affect their chances of a promotion or pay rise โ and 13 per cent โcanโt affordโ to go on holiday as it is.
According to the OnePoll research, a tenth of working adults have been hauled into the bossโs office for a telling off after taking a holiday.
The same amount lost potential business, and more than a third came back to a huge mountain of work that had been left for them to deal with.
Just over 40 per cent would even be happy to forego annual leave – and take extra pay instead.
However, two thirds believe failing to take regular holidays can lead to burnout, and 47 per cent think there is more chance of employees falling ill if they donโt take time off.
A further 62 per cent think the most important part of taking annual leave, however, is simply to spend more quality time with friends and family.
TOP 10 REASONS BRITS DIDNโT TAKE ALL THEIR ANNUAL LEAVE IN 2019
1. I had too much work to do
2. It wasnโt worth the hassle of coming back to a mountain of work
3. I couldnโt afford to go on holiday
4. I had no one I could hand my work to
5. I worry too much about what will happen while Iโm away
6. It was pointless as Iโd only have worked on my annual leave anyway
7. I had no one to go away with / spend it with
8. I didnโt think the boss would approve
9. I love work and donโt desire time off
10. I didnโt feel I could abandon my clients / customers
