# Charity staff taking less annual leave, report suggests

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2024/02/27/charity-staff-taking-less-annual-leave-report-suggests/
- Published: 2024-02-27T09:30:00+00:00
- Author: Melanie May

**Charities have seen one of the biggest dips in people taking annual leave in the
last year, according to a report.**

The [annual leave report](https://www.peoplehr.com/en-gb/resources/blog/uk-annual-leave-report-by-industry/),
conducted by Access PeopleHR, analysed data from over 3,000 companies in 18 sectors
to reveal that charities, including NGOs, have seen a 6.04% drop in annual leave
taken per employee from 2022-2023. Overall, annual leave taken nationally has dropped
by 7.6% in the last year, and by 12% since 2020. 

Charities and NGOs ranked 12th in the list of 18 sectors who gave up their annual
leave. On average, employees took 40 annual leave days in 2023 – down from 43 in
2022. 

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Access People gives a number of reasons why people are taking less leave, as follows:

 * **Work culture and expectations: **In many industries, if employees feel overworked,
   they may prioritise work commitment over personal time off.
 * **Staff shortages: **If people are experiencing a high workload, it may create
   pressure on employees to remain constantly available, making it challenging for
   them to take leave without compromising productivity.
 * **Peak times: **Industries with seasonal work patterns, such as retail, accommodation
   and hospitality, may limit employees’ flexibility in taking time off during peak
   periods.
 * **Blurred lines: **Advancements in hybrid work following the coronavirus might
   blur the boundaries between work and personal lives, making it challenging for
   employees to disengage and take leave.
 * **Fear of falling behind: **Competitive industries like finance, technology, 
   and professional services may foster a culture where employees fear falling behind
   their peers if they take extended breaks.
 * **Unlimited annual leave: **For some people, the limitless choice afforded by‘
   unlimited leave’ as a perk can be more overwhelming – and cause people to take
   fewer days off, not more.

The study also looked at which sectors had seen a drop in holiday entitlement in
the last year. Charities and NGOs had seen a 2.25% decline. Overall, 83.33% of sectors
had seen annual leave entitlement fall.

Charles Butterworth, Managing Director at Access People, said: 

> “Workers across the UK are under a great deal of pressure with rising household
> expenses, work-related stress and personal commitments. It’s more important than
> ever that people take time off to rest and recharge – so that they can come back
> stronger.
>  
> “But taking holidays should never feel like it’s part of the job. As revealed 
> in the report, the number of employees taking their full annual leave entitlement
> has declined in all industries. There could be many reasons for this, like poor
> planning, anxiety about falling behind, or a heavy workload. Ultimately, it’s 
> our duty as employers to help our teams book time off, whether this is through
> regular reminders or implementing a simple and efficient booking system.
>  
> “Companies need to take action and investigate why employees are reluctant to 
> take time off, so that they can put strategies in place to support them. It’s 
> also essential that companies and employers have a clear view of any requests,
> so that they can manage them instantly.”

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