Workers want more holidays from their employers, but almost half of them do not take their full leave entitlement, says a new survey.
Almost eight out of 10 Irish workers want annual leave increased, according to a study by FRS Recruitment, which questioned 300 people about their use of holidays.
But 43 per cent of workers fail to use their full annual leave entitlements, with some missing out on up to one week’s holiday.
Many of them choose to carry leave entitlements over to the following year, but some opt for payment in lieu of the time off that they do not take.
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However, 12 per cent end up losing their unused annual leave days, the study found.
FRS Recruitment general manager Lynne McCormack branded the trend worrying, saying that number had increased since last year’s survey.
“Time off from work is necessary for people to manage their wellbeing and these findings raise concerns that annual leave is not being used effectively,” she said.
Most workers want more flexible annual leave terms from their employers, the survey shows. In addition, 84 per cent said that time taken off at Christmas should be separated from their annual leave entitlements.
Almost 60 per cent want unlimited annual leave, FRS Recruitment found, while 18 per cent take more than two weeks off.
Listening to employees’ expectations and keeping policies up to date will become increasingly important for businesses trying to keep staff, McCormack said.
Most Irish people use their annual leave to travel abroad, with many heading to Spain, Portugal or Italy for their holidays. Other destinations, including the United States, Southeast Asia and Australia, also feature.
Outside of work, people take leave for family, health and personal reasons, the FRS Recruitment Annual Leave Report, published on Monday, found.
