HR managers agree, europeans should take their holidays together

British workersí position at the bottom of the EUís paid leave league could be having a negative effect on their productivity, according to a new survey of HR experts released today by Croner Consulting.

Eight-two per cent of HR professionals think that standardising the number of paid holidays across the European Union would increase the productivity of employees, according to the survey, carried out on Cronerís www.humanresources-centre.net

UK workers have eight bank holidays a year, one of the lowest numbers in Europe, and they are not a statutory entitlement, meaning employers may count them as part of an employeeís annual leave. The minimum of twenty days paid annual leave also lags behind most other European countries.

Italy tops the league with sixteen bank holidays, followed by Iceland (15) and Spain (14). Germany enjoys up to ourteen, and France, eleven.

Richard Smith, HR expert at Croner Consulting, part of Wolters Kluwer UK, says: We often hear reports that Britain is one of the hardest working nations in Europe, and there is evidence to say that long hours could be contributing to occupational stress, absenteeism and lower productivity.

Workers have seen their peers catching up with UK standards in other fields and might feel it is unfair that theyíre still falling behind in terms of both paid and public holidays.

UK workers tend to feel íhard done byí compared to other European countries due to this discrepancy, which could also be a demotivating factor affecting performance at work.

Arguably, more free time to relax, pursue leisure activities and go on holiday could improve performance in the workplace, as we generally return rested and refreshed.

But, while Croner Consulting would advise clients to encourage their employees to take their full holiday entitlement, we would not specifically advise increasing paid leave as a tool to increase productivity.

Productivity is a complex subject, influenced by numerous factors and there is no quick-fix solution for getting the most out of workers.

There have been numerous public and union campaigns for an increase in the number of bank holidays in the UK, and the survey shows the issue of paid holiday is something businesses feel strongly about. Presented with the option, I think weíd all vote for one or two extra days off.