Staff to work over Christmas
Dec 21 2011
Some 60 per cent of employees expect to have to work over the Christmas break
Three fifths of small business employees will work over Christmas, and even those ‘on holiday’ will be in regular contact with work, research finds.
Of the 60 per cent of office staff who will be glued to the computer over the break this year, 41 per cent will have to travel into the office to do so, according to a study by Regus.
However, more than a third (36 per cent) believe very little will actually be achieved over Christmas and New Year, raising questions about the value of working during the period.
Some 71 per cent will be checking work emails regularly on their mobile devices and two fifths will be expected to do some work by their employers.
More than a quarter (27 per cent) of small business workers report that working on holiday has caused ‘serious upset’ for family, friends or partners in the past, despite 60 per cent planning to take more holiday in 2012.
Regus regional director Celia Donne says that the survey sounds a note of caution to those who have taken holiday but plan to be in ‘online’ regardless. She says, ‘It is ironic that the very technology that affords us flexibility and freedom from the traditional fixed office set-up also blurs the distinction between work and home life.
‘Stress and burn-out are very real threats, and local employers must ensure that they harness the many positive aspects of today’s technology whilst encouraging a healthy work/life balance amongst staff.’
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