We are in the midst of the school holidays where many take annual leave to go away and catch some sun with friends and family. Despite being the most expensive time of the year to travel, thousands of Brits will make their way to their closest airport before embarking on hours of waiting at check-in, luggage collection and transfers to finally arrive at the picturesque destination that they last saw on the laptop screen, showing blue seas and white sands, when the holiday was purchased.
BBC News recently published its findings when asking the question, ‘Are you able to switch off when on holiday?’ It found that most people would prefer not to keep in touch with the office while on holiday, but many people feel obliged to and 6 out of 10 employees use their mobile phones to send emails during out-of-office hours. Are you one of them?
Gemma Murphy, Director, comments on the findings:
“Even though we are aware of the benefits of taking a full digital detox on the occasions when we get the time out of the office to unwind, it seems we still can’t switch off entirely and actually want to surround ourselves with more rather than less technology.
Employees who don’t disengage from work and who are subject to high levels of stress are unable to rest when it’s needed. Ultimately this risks affecting their well-being and productivity. It is important for businesses to highlight the importance of switching off and encourage employees to leave their work technology at home when going on holiday, turning off emails where possible, for the duration of their break. The benefits of a refreshed employee far outweigh a burn-out employee!”
When we talk about gadgets, we forget just how many have now forced their way into our daily lives, especially smartphones and tablets. The number of gadgets that have increased over the years and which have become integral parts of our lives has made switching off more and more difficult. The need to be constantly connected overwhelms many people and even when sat on a gorgeous beach with a cocktail in hand, many people feel the need to log-on to monitor work emails rather than sit there and enjoy it. Healthy employees will ultimately create a more productive business and a happier workforce, so employers really must look to encourage or perhaps make employees switch off emails when out of the office. So encourage your team to sit in their back garden with a good paperback book (not a tablet!).