For many UK workers, holidays are no longer a time for complete relaxation, with many finding it difficult to disconnect from work.
New data from NatWest Premier highlights that two in five Britons continue to check their emails while on holiday, with the trend particularly pronounced among higher earners.
The survey, which targeted wealthy clients, found that 42% of the UK workforce stays at work during the holidays, even with out-of-office notices on. Among those earning more than £100,000 a year, that figure jumps to 66%, with many spending up to three days of a typical seven-day holiday at work.
For those earning between £15,000 and £100,000, the average time spent working during a week’s holiday is two and a half days. The desire to control workload and reduce post-holiday stress is driving more than a third of respondents to work while on holiday.
This shift towards what is commonly referred to as “working from home” has led to a surge in demand for holiday accommodation with reliable broadband. Companies like Kip Hideaways, which specialises in self-catering accommodation, have even launched a range of properties specifically designed for those who need to “work from anywhere”.
Despite this trend, many workers do not fully utilize their annual leave. The survey reveals that only 45% of workers take full advantage of their annual leave, with significant gender differences: only half of men and 61% of women take full advantage of their leave.
Various factors contribute to this underutilisation. A quarter of respondents cited the high cost of holidays as a barrier, while a third of high earners admitted they lacked the time to plan holidays. Laura Newman, head of financial planning at NatWest Premier Bank, said many people were ignoring the financial support available from banks, which could help with organising and affording holidays.
The problem of overwork extends beyond holidays. A study by accountancy firm RSM found that 33% of organisations are now allowing staff to work remotely from outside the UK in response to recruitment challenges. Meanwhile, the UK government has pledged to introduce a “right to switch off” as part of its efforts to protect workers’ rights.
New data has recently highlighted that employees who take companies to an employment tribunal could be awarded thousands of pounds in compensation if they are subjected to persistent harassment outside of their working hours.
Employers and employees are likely to agree a code of practice that sets out expectations of normal working hours when employees should expect to be contacted.
The government said the aim was to ensure that the laws “do not inadvertently blur the lines between work and home life”.
Although a breach of the rules on out-of-hours work practice is unlikely to justify litigation in itself, employees will be able to use it as an aggravating factor in a broader claim, improving their chances of winning the case, as well as increasing their potential compensation.