42% of business owners and managers in Ireland and 32% in Northern Ireland do not take full advantage of their holiday allowance.
These findings are a timely reminder for those yet to book their holidays for 2015.
The quarterly survey, the Close Brothers Business Barometer, gauges the opinion of SME owners and managers from a variety of sectors across the UK and Ireland.
Top reasons throughout the island for not using all annual leave:
- 37% say they’re too busy
- 18% state there isn’t anyone to cover their absence
- 24% just don’t feel the need to
Participants were also asked: “Roughly how much of your holiday entitlement goes to waste each year?”
- 37% lose between 3-5 days
- 32% forfeit 6-10 days each year - that’s almost two full working weeks
MD of Close Brothers Commercial Finance, Ciaran McAreavey, said: “Regardless of your job title, where you work or level of seniority, it’s so important to regularly set aside time away from the workplace to recharge batteries and leave daily stresses behind, even if it’s just for a couple of days each time. No one is able to work at their full capacity unless they take a break a few times a year.”
Of those that do take their full holiday allowance, 64% said they mainly use it to go abroad whilst 20% spend time relaxing at home.
Mr McAreavey added: “So whether it’s soaking up the vitamin D on the beach, exploring a new city or joining the millions that prefer a more adrenaline-fuelled holiday, take advantage of your annual leave. If you’re a manager, encourage your staff to do the same to ensure you have a refreshed and focused workforce, delivering high levels of productivity and contributing to overall business success.”
