Jessica O'Connor68% of UK professionals stockpile annual leave throughout the year to ensure they can take time off over Christmas, creating operational challenges for employers during one of the busiest periods for leave requests, data from Robert Walters revealed.
One in four workers said they now “struggle to find days” to book off in December due to demand.
Managers were feeling the strain too, with 28% reporting raised stress levels as they attempt to balance overlapping requests with maintaining business continuity.
Dawn May, associate director of Robert Walters Midlands, said: “The lead up to Christmas is the time of year where annual leave requests often overlap.
“Managers are left to juggle ensuring employees get their desired time off whilst maintaining business continuity.
“The resulting team disruptions during this period can lead to a scant workforce where work is left unfinished or high-value projects fall behind.”
The issue is compounded by structural differences in how organisations manage annual leave.
Less than half of UK employers (49%) shut down over Christmas, meaning most staff must use their own leave allocation.
More than half of workers (54%) said their employer relies on team coordination to approve leave, while 22% reported a strict “first come, first served” system, creating further competition for time off.
May added: “It is crucial that annual leave requests are handled by structured, thoughtful processes.
“Tools like shared Christmas trackers issued in November can help managers ensure leave is organised and coordinated between team members.
“Offering more flexibility for quieter business operating days, for example setting later starts and earlier finishes, or approving working from home can encourage some employees to stay online during the slow-down and minimise work interruptions.”
Separate findings from the Robert Walters Benefits Guide showed that 21% of workers fail to use their full leave entitlement each year.
May said: “Annual leave is a core part of benefits packages, yet some employees struggle to use all their full entitlement. Introducing carry-over policies or allowing employees to sell unused days can offer them greater control over how they take time off.
“Christmas should be a time for fun, festivity and fully switching off. However, when businesses don’t shut down over the holidays or use unreliable annual-leave approval systems, employees can be left disappointed.
“By putting flexible measures in place, such as team Christmas trackers or reduced hours during quieter days over the festive period, managers can ease cases of ‘holiday hoarding’ and ensure everyone has an equal chance to truly unwind.”
