Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

StressMental health conditionsMental health

Third of staff under ‘extreme’ pressure while colleagues are on holiday

by Ashleigh Webber 20 Aug 2019
by Ashleigh Webber 20 Aug 2019 Image: Shutterstock
Image: Shutterstock

More than a third (34%) of staff claim they feel under “extreme” pressure or have panic attacks because of the amount of work they must take on while their colleagues are on holiday, with many working longer hours to complete their tasks.

With the holiday season in full swing, a survey of more than 2,000 workers found 81% would take on a colleague’s workload in their absence in addition to their own work.

Mental health and wellbeing

One in three say their mental health has worsened in a year

A tenth of women experience ‘unmanageable’ stress

However, for 48%, this meant they had to work through their lunchbreak or work beyond their usual working hours to get everything done, contributing to feelings of “extreme pressure”, according to software provider Cornerstone OnDemand.

The pressure to take on additional tasks was felt by staff aged 18 to 24 in particular. Forty-three per cent of employees in this age group said it caused them to feel pressured or experienced panic attacks, compared with 24% of 45- to 54-year-olds.

Liggy Webb, CEO of training provider The Learning Architect, said: “The pressure of modern living has led to a growing epidemic in the workplace: stress. Of course, everyone is entitled to their annual leave and those that are left in the office may need to support the workload, but overworking and unrealistic demands will lead to burnout and ultimately, impact business success.

“Knowing that increased stress is felt during the summer period, organisations can now prioritise workplace wellbeing and ensure that their workforce is happy and healthy all year long.”

Despite feeling under pressure, 39% said taking on a colleagues’ tasks while they were away helped develop new skills and 32% felt they learnt more by taking on a senior colleagues’ work than what they had learnt in the last month of their own role.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

“It’s positive to see that although workloads increase during summer period, employees benefit from the additional work. Many employees are using this time to learn new skills and develop their career by taking on a more senior colleagues’ workload, which not only builds their confidence and understanding but gives them a better appreciation of the business as a whole.” said Susan Hilliar, head of communications EMEA at Cornerstone OnDemand.

 

Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is a former editor of OHW+ and former HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support.

previous post
In-house recruitment managers invited to have their say
next post
Costa Coffee franchisee’s training cost deductions ‘unfair’, staff claim

1 comment

Phil Norton 21 Aug 2019 - 9:27 pm

Some interesting findings from this study. We’ve all felt stressed when working our job and covering for others, but the figures here are alarmingly high. The colleague leaving for holiday should take responsibility of managing the workload of those left behind by planning ahead, spreading the workload amongst different team members, using out of office messages to set expectations of delays for non-urgent matters, and organising their workload to minimise the impact during their time off. Of course these things are easier said than done but any effort to do these things will help those covering for you.

Comments are closed.

You may also like

Employers ‘worryingly’ ignorant about stress risk assessments

20 May 2025

Awareness weeks fuel spike in demand for mental...

19 May 2025

Four ways employers can reduce the risk of...

14 May 2025

Healthcare workers prioritise mental health support in new...

12 May 2025

Two-thirds of school leaders suffering mental ill health

6 May 2025

‘Healthy work’ about much more than access to...

28 Apr 2025

Call for better mental health support for NHS...

17 Apr 2025

Computer says no: IT woes giving employees sleepless...

15 Apr 2025

Nearly half did not take even one full...

14 Apr 2025

Quarter feel their employer is ineffective at managing...

11 Apr 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today