PAs spend too much time at work

It?s estimated that nearly two-thirds of UK employees (60%) worked from their office during the recent bank holiday, missing out on quality time with friends and family.

Even with the advances of modern day technology, nearly half of workers (46%) in the UK are still spending five days a week at their desk, despite employers offering more flexible working hours to suit their personal lives, a survey by Microsoft Lumia has discovered.

Even though one in five of us use our smart phones for work purposes, 58% confess that they do not use the device to its full potential. For instance, 37% admit that although they are aware their phone has document editing equipment on it, such as Word and Excel, they have never used it and 21% have missed a work deadline due to not being able to edit from their mobile.

Meanwhile, another study has highlighted the importance of taking a break from work and going on holiday, revealing that 76% of annual holidaymakers are more satisfied with their lives overall, compared to those who never commit to taking a break.

Diamond Resorts International commissioned a study with Nielsen Research that found office workers who take holidays on a regular basis are generally happier, healthier and have better relationships than those who don?t.

However, even though holidays are an important contributing factor to an individual?s happiness, the study reports that a significant proportion (63%) of employees do not have any plans to go on holiday this year. Also, a majority of respondents (52%) did not take all of their holiday allowance in 2014, forfeiting more than seven days of annual leave.

Diamond Resorts International has identified the top five reasons that holidays are essential to an office worker?s wellbeing, based on the results of the Nielsen poll:

• Holidays can make you feel more in tune with your partner: 80% of employees who vacation yearly report that romance is alive in their relationship, compared to 56% who never go on holiday

• Holidays can make you feel happier: 76% report feeling ?happy? or ?extremely happy?, compared to 43% of those who never take a holiday

• Holidays can make you feel more energetic: 72% report feeling ?energised and full of life? all the time, compared to 34% of those who never take a holiday

• Holidays can make you feel better about your job: 71% report feeling “?satisfied? or ?very satisfied? with their job, compared to 46% of those who never take a holiday

• Holidays can make you feel healthier: 56% describe their health as ?very good? or ?excellent?, compared to just 28 per cent of those who never take a holiday