Nearly
two-thirds of UK workers feel more productive after going on holiday, according
to research released today by internet job site reed.co.uk
The
survey of more than 2,500 workers finds holidays also increase creativity. More
than three-quarters of workers say they have their best ideas for work either
when they are on holiday or immediately on return.
These
findings come at a time when less than half of workers are taking their full
holiday entitlement (44 per cent) according to the reed.co.uk research. One in
five are actually taking less than a quarter of what they are owed. Male
workers are most hard done by when it comes to taking holiday, with only 39 per
cent of men taking their full holiday entitlement compared to 49 per cent of
women.
The
most common reason for not taking holiday is that there is too much work to do,
according to 44 per cent of respondents. Second on the list, according to more
than one in 10, is fear that taking holidays harms careers and could even lead
to redundancy.
More
than half all UK employers do not insist their staff use their full holiday
entitlement.
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Paul
Rapacioli, director of reed.co.uk, commented: ‘People are just too busy to go
on holiday. While most say there is simply too much work to do, some fear
taking holidays could harm their careers or even make them first in line for
redundancy. Yet our research demonstrates people are actually more productive
and creative at work after they have taken a break."
