Holidays

What are holidays?

Holidays, also known as “paid time off” (PTO), are days that you take off from work as a way to recharge, and do what you want. Holidays are an opportunity for you to take a step away from your day-to-day to focus on yourself, your happiness and your well-being!

Some people choose to spend their holidays travelling, spending time with family and friends, whereas others choose to take some time for themselves to relax and reset.

Taking regular holidays is super important when it comes to avoiding burnout and maintaining a good work-life balance. It also gives you an opportunity to recharge and come back to work refreshed and ready to tackle new challenges.

What are the benefits of taking holidays?

Taking a holiday is like hitting reset. You can take time away from your job to focus on yourself and take a much needed break. Here are some reasons why you should consider taking advantage of your holiday allowance:

• Improved mental health
  Holidays are a super important way for you to take a break from the demands of work, helping you to relax and unwind. They’re great for improving your mental health and wellbeing.

  Research by the Family Holiday Association shows that, immediately after a holiday, 92% reported a noticeable decline in stress & worries and 91% felt more optimistic about the future.

• Better work-life balance
  Taking holidays means that you have more time to focus on yourself and what you enjoy doing outside of work. Even if you love what you do — you should still be taking time to pursue other interests and hobbies!

• Increased productivity
  Research conducted by Croner, found that 66% of employees feel more productive after a holiday. This is because holidays help us to recharge, so that when we return to work after a break, we’re more energised and motivated.

• Improved physical health
  Improved mental health has a link to our overall health. The impact of stress on our physical health can cause cardiovascular problems such as raised blood pressure — making you more susceptible to strokes and heart attacks. So, taking breaks to relieve stress is super important.

  Plus, engaging in physical activity is known to improve your physical health. So taking the time away from work to do this on your holidays is a great way to look after your physical wellbeing.

• Improved relationships
  Taking time away from work gives you the opportunity to spend time with family and friends. You might want to travel to visit long distance friends, or stay with your parents. No matter how you spend it, spending time with loved ones leads to better relationships.

• Job satisfaction
  Research shows that employees feel 67% more satisfied with their job after taking a holiday. This shows that taking regular breaks and taking full advantage of your holiday allowance can actually make you happier at work as you’re coming back to work feeling refreshed.

Why offer holidays to employees?

Holidays aren't just great for employees, offering holidays to your employees will also have a positive impact on your company. Here’s why…

• Happier employees
• More productive employees
• Attract and retain better talent
• Enhances your total rewards package

What happens if an employee can’t take a holiday?

Employers can ask employees to make up any holiday that they may miss due to illness. However, it’s possible that they don’t require employees to make up the time if they miss a holiday due to personal reasons.

What is a standard holiday allowance?

In the UK, you’re legally entitled to 5.6 weeks annual leave. This usually works out as a minimum of:

• 20 days
• • 8 bank holidays

However, more and more companies are offering more generous allowances than the statutory minimum. Check out our country guides to find out what’s considered good, bad, and gold standard in different countries.