Workaholic Britons need to get out of the office and have more holiday fun
WORKAHOLIC Britons are spending too much time in the office and missing out on holiday fun.
A British Airways survey found that more than half of Britons fail to take all their holiday allowance while 22 million have lost out on an average of four days’ vacation.
The research into the holiday habits of 11 countries also found that Britons took the fewest overseas trips in 2017, going abroad twice on average.
The French and Germans took three journeys abroad but Japanese and Indians were miles ahead, escaping the office for an international getaway up to eight times last year.
It is thought a third of British employees are afraid to take two-week holidays, with a fifth feeling guilty for using all their holiday allowance.
It’s shocking that so many UK employees not only don’t take two weeks annual leave, but when they do, find it hard to switch off and enjoy time out of the office.
Nick Hewer, Lord Sugar’s advisor on The Apprentice for 10 years, said employees need time “to unwind and relax” to sustain a healthy work-life balance and perform at their best.
The 73-year-old businessman said: “As an employer, a happy work force is key to having a happy, and most importantly, a successful business.
“It’s shocking that so many UK employees not only don’t take two weeks annual leave, but when they do, find it hard to switch off and enjoy time out of the office.”
Britons were shown to be creatures of habit – 81 per cent have revisited a favourite holiday destination more than once, and eight times on average.
A British Airways spokesman said: “As more destinations become easier to access, we want to encourage Britons to embrace their holidays and sense of adventure and try something new this summer – it’s time to commit to our holidays.”
The most desired summer 2018 holiday was a European beach break (45 per cent), a European city break (40 per cent), a longhaul flight to the Caribbean (25 per cent) and an American road trip (15 per cent).