Bryan HayA recent survey by InstantprintUK has provided insights into the annual leave habits of 1,000 UK employees from various industries. The findings highlight how employees manage their time off, including their approach to work emails, setting out-of-office notifications, and their general consumption of annual leave.
Despite progressive policies like unlimited paid time off, the survey found that almost 50% of respondents use between 20 and 30 days of annual leave per year, which aligns with the statutory entitlement of 5.6 weeks of paid holiday. Surprisingly, one in eight employees does not take any annual leave at all.
For those in more progressive companies, 12% enjoy more than 30 days off annually, whereas just under a quarter have 20 days or less. The primary reason for taking time off, according to 69% of respondents, is for holidays and getaways, while 16% use it for health and wellbeing purposes.
The survey also explored how much preparation UK workers undertake before going on leave. Only 52% of respondents prepare their work for handover in advance, 23% do the bare minimum, and a quarter admit to dropping everything and picking it back up upon their return.
Regarding out-of-office notifications, 45% always set one, about a third do so sometimes, and nearly a quarter never set one. This lack of communication could impact work continuity and client relationships.
The study also delved into the realm of work-life balance, revealing that a quarter of Brits respond to work emails during their annual leave, with 55% saying they reply if the emails are important. Shockingly, 40% reported that their manager or boss has tried to contact them for work-related matters while they were on leave, and 6% had their leave cancelled or revoked without good reason.
