One in five UK employees fail to take full holiday allowance

-

beach300

Over a fifth of the UK workforce did not use all their paid holiday allowance in 2014, according to the latest research from Canada Life Group Insurance. The findings suggest employees are being prevented from taking the time off they are entitled to.

“Despite the heightened competition to hire top talent, organisations are still failing to provide the work/life balance employees want and need. Retention of trained staff is a key concern for employers, and failing to promote an ethos of wellbeing among employees will have a negative impact on staff turnover in the long term. Individuals that don’t have adequate time off are likely to feel stressed and burnt-out, resulting in a direct hit to productivity,” Paul Avis, marketing director of Canada Life Group Insurance commented

Around one in seven blame staffing issues such as maternity leave or members of staff leaving as the reason for not taking their full holiday allowance. This is almost double the number who said the same in 2014. A worrying 5% said their organisation actually discouraged employees from taking time off, while 16% failed to plan their time adequately and ran out of opportunities to use their annual leave.

HRreview Logo

Get our essential weekday HR news and updates.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Keep up with the latest in HR...
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Optin_date
This field is hidden when viewing the form

 

Robert joined the HRreview editorial team in October 2015. After graduating from the University of Salford in 2009 with a BA in Politics, Robert has spent several years working in print and online journalism in Manchester and London. In the past he has been part of editorial teams at Flux Magazine, Mondo*Arc Magazine and The Marine Professional.

Latest news

Curtis Holmes: Payroll is the driver for employee engagement

Payroll has long been treated as a back-office necessity: essential, but not something that shapes culture or drives engagement. This no longer stands.

Labour market yet to show major AI impact on jobs, govt adviser says

A government economic adviser has challenged predictions of widespread AI-driven unemployment, arguing labour market data has yet to show disruption.

Young workers ‘pressured into signing NDAs after workplace injuries’

Workers say injuries are being hidden behind confidentiality agreements while financial pressures leave many afraid to challenge unsafe conditions.

CIPD recognises 30 HR leaders driving change across UK workplaces

The CIPD has unveiled its HR30 list for 2026, recognising senior people leaders whose work has delivered measurable impact across organisations and workforces.
- Advertisement -

Brits dream of being their own boss, but still cling to the monthly pay cheque, survey reveals

Britons say they like the idea of self-employment, but most still value the security and stability of traditional jobs.

AI Coaching Won’t Replace Managers. It Will Expose Coaching Debt.

As AI coaching expands, employers may gain a clearer view of where manager support is falling short.

Must read

Nicola Smith: The rise of women reaching senior management.

I don’t think of myself either as a feminist...

Teresa Budworth: See! Health and safety saves lives

There’s a simple fact about health and safety that...
- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you