Public Servant Lifestyle

It’s official: Brits love to work - A new survey shows that one in 10 senior managers in the UK is not taking a summer holiday this year. According to the same findings over half of those who are going away plan to keep in touch with the office.

Unhealthy

According to the poll - of 300 businessmen and women – carried out by accountancy firm Baker Tilly 56% will stay in contact with work by telephone, mobile or the internet. A further 56% of holidaymakers will keep in touch with the office while they’re away this summer, while 9% of workers questioned aren’t even taking a holiday.

Interestingly, just 16% of those in the financial sector plan on contacting the office while on holiday, casting some doubts on the myth of the driven 24/7 City worker. 77% responded that they will contact their employers by mobile phone or text messaging, 33% plan on using a landline and just 8% will keep in touch with the office by fax.

"Striving for excellence at work is laudable – letting work become the focus of life isn’t."

"It’s generally believed that employers are to blame for an unhealthy work-life balance," says Teresa Graham, OBE, partner at Baker Tilly. "However, this new research indicates that the majority of people have an incredibly strong attachment to work – an inexplicable, and potentially dangerous, passion. Striving for excellence at work is laudable – letting work become the focus of life isn’t."

Mobile Madness

The most frenetic mobile ‘phoners come from a variety of industry sectors and regions. Sectors where it’s good to talk on the mobile include construction and wholesaling (91%) and transport/communications (86%), while 90% of those in the East Midlands, 89% from Scotland, 85% from Greater London and 81% from the South West will have their mobiles glued to their ears while on holiday.

E-mail

The survey showed that the traditional telephone still has a role to play in tempting staff to keep in extra-curricular touch with their office. Land lines were the mode of communication chosen by 60% of respondents in Wales, 46% in the hotels and catering industry and 41% of all respondents from the East Midlands.

Despite the global ubiquity of internet cafés, and the speed and ease of response (time zones cease to matter), just 15% of holidaymakers will contact their offices via e-mail this summer. Intriguingly keen e-mailers include 51% of respondents from East Anglia and 21% of those in the wholesaling industry.

Fax is Dead

A few years ago fax machines in far-flung destinations were the preferred means of communication; today, fax communication has all but ceased. The exceptions among respondents were the 32% of respondents in the East Midlands and 21% of those working in the wholesaling industry who plan on faxing the office while on holiday this summer.

Summertime Blues

Inhabitants of the South West must be Britain’s most dedicated – or most foolhardy! - workers, with 28% of respondents from this region stating that they are not taking a holiday this year. Similarly, construction is the UK’s hardest-working sector, with 18% of respondents not planning a holiday.

More information available in Work Life Balance, Destinations