- Almost 90% of freelancers check work email while on holiday.
- A third of parents admit to working while attending tourist attractions with kids!
A recent survey by online freelance marketplace PeoplePerHour, looking into Britain's homeworking habits, has shown that for many freelance workers there’s no such thing as down time. As we’re slipping into autumn most people have already taken their annual vacation, but it might not have been the relaxing break they’d have once expected, with 89 per cent of respondents admitting to checking their work email while away with the family.
Keeping up to date with email has become a part of the daily routine for most people, so perhaps it’s not all that surprising that so many freelance workers failed to leave their jobs behind while taking a family break. However, commitment to work doesn’t stop there for many, with almost half (46%) polled confessing to having actively pitched for work whilst on holiday. Although this could be interpreted negatively, it does show the incredible flexibility of the freelance worker and the way that they are able to organise their working hours to suit their lifestyles.
With the growing ability to communicate and work on the go, more and more people are able to find a way to work that suits them – rather than being tied to an office and regimented business hours, it’s now possible to respond to prospective clients at any time from almost anywhere. Unfortunately this does mean that for some there’s no such thing as a day off, despite the fact that for some (28%) a big draw of self-employment is the ability to spend more time with their kids.
Perhaps the most unexpected result of this survey is that women, rather than men, are the worst culprits for working during family time! More than a third (37%) of women surveyed pled guilty to working while at a tourist attraction this summer, while only 26 per cent of men admitted to doing the same. However, it is worth considering that for a lot of people in full-time employment, it is impossible to get any time off work at all during the summer months; at least freelancers have the plasticity to find an effective compromise.
Not wanting to jeopardise a business with a long holiday is understandable, but it seems that many freelancers aren’t even willing to take a break for a long weekend. August 31st was the last public holiday in England before Christmas, and yet 78 per cent of the self-employed interviewees said that they’d be spending at least part of the day working.While Bank Holiday working won’t appeal to all, this could be positive; keeping the economy moving even on down days, and allowing people to work when they want to, which conversely, gives them the opportunity to take time off when they need too.
Xenios Thrasyvoulou, Founder and CEO of PeoplePerHour comments:
“The headline that more people are working while on holiday might seem like a depressing statistic, but actually it could be encouraging. The self-employed are finding ways to work that suit them and their lifestyle. Maintaining a business while away from it can actually be a good thing, removing the worry of a potential financial shortfall when you return, and allowing you to fully enjoy the free time you have.
“The on-demand economy provides flexibility for both businesses and workers. The fact that an increasing number of people are turning to self-employment is testament to the job satisfaction and work-life balance that it can bring.”