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Survey shows work is intruding on home life for vast majority of UK workers
A s the UK government changes workers ’ rights , a new survey by YouGov for Purbeck Insurance Services has found that work is intruding on home life for the vast majority of people . This is particularly true for those aged 25 – 49 ( an age group more likely to have young families ) and women who were found to spend marginally more time working in their personal time than men . Worryingly one in 10 people habitually forego some of their annual leave each year , risking burnout .
The survey revealed :
• Eighty percent of people have worked beyond their contractual hours . Half of those surveyed stated this has happened many times and those aged 25 – 49 were most likely to put the extra hours in ( 84 %) while 18 – 24 year olds were least likely ( 64 %). Only 12 % of those surveyed have never worked over their agreed hours .
• Sixty-eight percent have looked at emails outside of their contractual hours . This is a frequent occurrence for 39 % of those surveyed and again , 25 – 49-year-olds check emails more than any other age group ( 75 %).
• Women are a little more likely to work beyond their contractual hours ( 82 %) than men ( 77 %) and to look at work emails outside of their usual working hours ( 70 % versus 67 % for men ).
• Half of those surveyed have changed or cancelled a day off due to a work matter . Again this is more true of women ( 52 %) than men ( 49 %).
• Thirty-seven percent have not taken all of their allocated annual leave . For 18 % this has happened a few times , but more than one in 10 people ( 13 %) have failed to take all of their annual leave many times . People living in Scotland are least likely to take their full holiday allowance ( 45 %)
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THERE IS CLEARLY A NEED FOR BUSINESSES OF ALL SIZES TO GET A GRASP ON WORK BEING DONE BY EMPLOYEES OUTSIDE OF BUSINESS HOURS , TO ADDRESS THIS AND TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO TAKE THEIR FULL ANNUAL LEAVE .
and more common among men ( 40 %) and those aged 50 – 64 ( 42 %).
• Seventy-nine percent support giving workers the right not to be contacted by their employer outside of their working hours , with 49 % strongly supporting this . Just 13 % oppose the right and this was more likely to be in the 65 + age group ( 19 %). Women ( 83 %) more than men ( 75 %) were most likely to support the right to ‘ switch off ’.
Purbeck Insurance Services , a provider of personal guarantee insurance to small business owners and directors , commissioned the survey in response to the Labour Government ’ s ‘ Make Work Pay ’ which includes the right to switch off .
Todd Davison , MD of Purbeck Insurance Services , said : “ Our survey underlines just how much the day job is encroaching on personal time , particularly for the women in the survey . If workers are not getting adequate time away from being at or thinking about work , burnout beckons .
“ Unfortunately , switching off just isn ’ t an option for small business owners and directors who shoulder a huge amount of responsibility , not least the financial responsibility of taking a business loan . However , there is clearly a need for businesses of all sizes to get a grasp on work being done by employees outside of business hours , to address this and to encourage people to take their full annual leave . Flexible working is one thing but free labour is not sustainable for individuals , businesses or the economy .” �
Intelligent SME . tech
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