Two in five Lancashire workers will struggle to get time off before Christmas, survey says

The Annual Leave Allowances survey from Just Eat for Business asked employees how and when they use their annual leave, whether they feel encouraged to have breaks off work, and how time off impacts their work/life balance.

For two in five in the North West, their work/life balance will deplete further between now and Christmas, as they’re set to have their annual leave continually rejected due to a lack of resources.

This follows findings that 20 per cent of office workers regularly or always have their time off requests denied due to staff absences, whilst a further 22 per cent repeatedly had their annual leave requests rejected to accommodate excessive workloads.

And even for those employees who are able to get time away from the office, the survey revealed 29 per cent of workers were unable to avoid working while on holiday, as they are contacted to help deal with absences or work queries.

The survey also found that 44 per cent of UK employees reported feeling burnt out at work.

Will Foster, Professor of Leadership at Keele University, urged employers to promote time off before Christmas.

He said: “It’s essential that if the ‘espoused’ values of the organisation include employee wellbeing and restorative breaks, then leaders need to prioritise that.

"Management must do the hard work of ensuring the structures, roles, responsibilities and staffing levels align so employees can take a ‘true rest’ when needed, regardless of the time of year and understaffing issues.”

Rosie Hyam, People Partner at Just Eat, said: “Given the emphasis on employee well being and work-life balance over the last few years, it’s essential that employers in the North West are receptive to flexible working arrangements, and that they allow employees to take time away from work when needed.”