Peter Done, managing director of Peninsula said, “If you find yourself sat on a beach checking your work e-mail from your laptop and a glass of Sangria in hand, close your laptop and start enjoying your holiday. Employees are becoming slaves to modern technology and because e-mail has made it easier than ever to keep in constant contact with the office, they are finding it hard to get a true break from work. It is common knowledge that people’s work life is busier than ever and this survey highlights the sizeable role that work plays in our lives. However, holiday entitlements are there for a reason and employees should be using this time to relax and re-charge themselves.”

Managers and executives in the United Kingdom spend an average 6 hours 40 minutes answering their work e-mail while they are on vacation. Further, 73% of managers/executives ensure they will have Internet availability when booking their vacation. The statistics are the latest survey from Peninsula.

“Employers should not expect workers to be in, or make contact when they are on holiday. Having a meeting with the employee before they go away and delegating work where possible will make both the employer and employee feel a lot calmer. Any work that cannot be delegated should be planned into the employer’s diary ready for their return.”

In conclusion, Peter Done said, “Employers should encourage their managers to enjoy their holidays, not insisting they make contact with the office. They should not expect employees to contact the office at all and need to make provisions for the absence of the employee.”