For many British workers, holidays are no longer a time to completely unwind, and a significant number find it difficult to disconnect from work.
New data from NatWest Premier shows that two in five Brits continue to check their emails while on holiday, and this trend is particularly pronounced among high earners.
The research, which focused on affluent customers, found that 42% of the UK workforce remains tied to work during holidays, even with out-of-office notifications turned on. Among those earning more than £100,000 a year, this figure rises to 66%, with many spending up to three days of a typical seven-day holiday working.
For those earning between £15,000 and £100,000, the average working time during a week’s holiday is two and a half days. The need to manage their workload and reduce post-holiday stress forces more than a third of respondents to work while they are away.
This shift to what is colloquially referred to as ‘working from holiday’ (WFH) has led to a rise in demand for holiday accommodation with reliable broadband. Companies like Kip Hideaways, which specializes in boutique-style self-contained rentals, have even launched a collection of accommodations specifically tailored to those who ‘need to work from anywhere’.
Despite this trend, many employees do not make full use of their holiday rights. The research shows that only 45% of employees take their full annual leave allowance, with notable differences between genders: only half of men and 61% of women use all their leave.
Several factors contribute to this underutilization. A quarter of respondents cited the high cost of holidays as a deterrent, while a third of high earners admitted they didn’t have time to plan a getaway. Laura Newman, head of financial planning at NatWest Premier, noted that many people overlook the financial planning support from their banks, which could help organize and deliver holidays.
The problem of overwork extends beyond vacation days. Research from accountancy firm RSM shows that 33% of organizations are now allowing employees to work remotely from outside the UK in response to staffing issues. Meanwhile, the UK government has committed to introducing a “right to switch off” as part of its efforts to protect workers’ rights.
New data recently revealed that workers who take companies to employment tribunals could receive thousands of pounds in extra compensation if they are persistently harassed outside of working hours.
It is likely that employers and employees will agree a code of practice, setting out expectations for normal working hours when staff can expect to be contacted.
The government has said the aim was to ensure the laws “do not inadvertently blur the boundaries between work and private life”.
While a breach of an out-of-hours code of conduct is unlikely to warrant a lawsuit in itself, employees could use it as an aggravating factor in a broader claim, increasing their chances of winning the claim and increasing their potential compensation. .
Jamie Young
Jamie is a seasoned business journalist and Senior Reporter at Business Matters, with over a decade of experience in UK SME business reporting. Jamie has a degree in business administration and regularly attends industry conferences and workshops to stay at the forefront of emerging trends. When Jamie isn’t reporting on the latest business developments, he is passionate about mentoring emerging journalists and entrepreneurs, sharing their wealth of knowledge to inspire the next generation of business leaders.
