Weíre packing our work worries in our holiday suitcases as well as our shorts and sun tan lotion, according to new research from Office Angels. More than half of UK workers (53%) feel stressed, anxious and concerned about their workload the week before heading off to the sun, and the positive effects of their time away only last three days for most (77%). Itís therefore little surprise that for half of UK workers (51%), the most important ingredient for a happy holiday is having colleagues they can rely on back in the office.
Switch On and Switch Off
The survey of office workers, conducted by Office Angels, the UKís leading secretarial and office support recruitment consultancy, also found that staying ëincommunicadoí doesnít help workers unwind on holiday either. Three quarters (76%) prefer to keep their lifeline to the office open, refusing to switch off their mobile and blackberry. A workaholic 15% say theyíre actually glad to return to work as they thrive on the routine which perhaps explains why one in 10 (8%) choose to leave more than a year between each holiday.
Holidays or hell-idays?
The research goes on to suggest that the traditional R&R of an annual holiday has been replaced by W&W (work & worry) for many UK workers. As few as 5% feel relaxed the week before their annual leave while on return, the ëholiday feelingí disappears within hours for nearly one in five (17%).
The solutionÖ
So whatís the best advice for the 5.5 million Britons expected to go on holiday this summer?
Go Brown Not Blue - Try returning to work with a golden glow to help maintain the feelgood factor - 35% say having a tan to show off to colleagues helps cheer them up
A Perfect Ten - Ten days is the most popular choice for the perfect holiday duration (32%). 77% say anything less than a week is not ideal, while less than a quarter (23%) say a fortnight is right. Forget City breaks and dirty weekends ñ no respondents say a two day break from work is enough!
Forget the Bikini Body - Get a Holiday Head - De-clutter your mind of any work worries by doing a thorough handover to colleagues before you go. A fifth (21%) say this helps them unwind once they are away.
Plan the Next Trip - A quarter (27%) agree that planning another holiday is the best pick-me-up when they return to work. As more than half (58%) say the ideal gap between breaks is three to six months, reach for those brochures and get planning!
David Clubb, Managing Director of Office Angels, comments, ìHolidays are vital ñ a happy, productive workforce needs time to recharge. To make the most of your break think of it like a meeting - the better prepared you are the better the outcome. Put aside plenty of time before your last day in the office to brief colleagues on any outstanding work or potential problems theyíll need to know about while youíre away and youíll be much more likely to enjoy a relaxing time.î
Wish You Were Here!
Why the UKís workforce canít bear to be ëDuty Freeí on holiday
