Charity staff taking less annual leave, report suggests
Melanie May | 27 February 2024 | News
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, 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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About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.