Stressed managers too busy to take holidays

Excessive workloads are causing almost two-thirds of managers in the IT industry to miss out on some of their annual holiday allowance.

The research by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) found 63 per cent of managers will not use their full holiday allowance this year - up from 40 per cent in 2003 - and only 27 per cent said they will carry their unused holiday time over to the next calendar year.

Most (20 per cent) of those not using up their leave blamed excessive workloads, followed by poor personal planning and "enjoyment of work".

Across all sectors the CMI research estimates 21.6 million holiday days are not taken each year by managers in the UK.

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Just over a third (37 per cent) of managers in the IT sector said unused holidays can be sold back for cash but almost half (43 per cent) said no such options are available for exchanging holiday entitlement for other benefits.

Almost three-quarters (73 per cent) of IT industry managers also backed calls by the TUC for a new bank holiday in October and 60 per cent said UK holiday entitlement should be brought in line with other EU countries.

Only eight per cent of managers in the IT sector plan to holiday in the UK, with the most popular destinations being Australia, Canada, the Caribbean and the Greek islands. But more than a fifth (22 per cent) said they also use holiday entitlement to do voluntary or charity work.

Jo Causon, marketing and corporate affairs director at the CMI, said in a statement: "Taking time off for a proper break is not a sign of weakness, so individuals should be encouraged to use their holiday entitlement to the full."