Too many people work on holiday to reduce stress

Even when on a much-needed holiday, two thirds of high earners cannot resist checking their emails when they are meant to be chilling out.

Four in 10 Brits find it hard to switch off and are still working when on holiday, with it rising to two thirds (66%) when it comes to those earning over £100,000.

On the working on holiday issue, there was a significant divide on behaviour when it came to high earners versus other earnings brackets.

Two-thirds (66%) of those earning over £100,000 admitted to working while on holiday, compared to just 42% for the general population of working Brits. The higher the salary, the more likely people were to work, revealed research by NatWest Premier.

At the same time, Brits are not taking their annual leave allowance either, with five days of holiday not taken on average per person every year.

The study of over 2,000 employed respondents explored why Brits are not making the most of their annual leave allowance, why they are working while on holiday, and the time and financial pressures they face.

The number one reason why the people worked when they were on holiday was because they wanted to stay on top of their workload to reduce stress when they return, with high earners feeling the pressure more - 34% for general population of working Brits versus 41% of high earners.

When it came to those who did not take their annual leave or go on holiday, the main reason was because it was too expensive (27%). However, a third (33%) of those in the high earning bracket (annual salary of over £100,000) said they simply did not have time to plan a holiday.

Laura Newman, head of NatWest Premier Financial Planning, said: ‘You’ve got your annual leave allowance, want to take a holiday, but don’t know what help is available, and have no time to plan it – logistically or financially – meaning it never gets booked, and the much-needed R & R doesn’t happen. It can be a cycle, and our latest research shows many are guilty of this.

‘However, what many don’t realise is that your bank can help with financial savings when it comes to booking holidays. Some of our accounts offer free airport lounge access, free travel insurance, and no foreign exchange fees.’

When asked what would help with holiday planning in future, over a third (35%) said they would like to have access to money-saving offers, and 32% said making planning easier and having as little fuss as possible was important.

With the government mulling rules to stop employers contacting staff outside of working hours, dubbed the right to switch off, it raises questions about how this could work in practice.

Visit BrAInbox today where you can find answers to questions like Should I regularly remind my staff how much annual leave they have left?

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