One of the biggest advantages of absence management software for many employees is they don’t have to face someone when submitting a holiday request! New research suggests that 73% of employees in the UK feel stressed out before they take a holiday.

We’ve all had a situation in which an employee has asked for a holiday right at the last moment. It can be very frustrating and disruptive, however we need to consider how stressful employees can find requesting, taking and going on holiday. In a survey by the Institute for Leadership & Management (ILM) almost three quarters found taking annual leave to be a stressful process absence management software which facilitates employees to book holidays both in the office and in their own time from their personal computer or phone is just one way in which employers can help minimize disruptions caused through holiday stress. In addition to absence management solutions, employers and their HR teams should be considering how to make taking a holiday a celebration within the business.

In addition to the holiday stress created by employees worrying about asking for holidays, around 68% of respondents reported that they work late the day before they went on holiday, with 61% feeling that they needed to continue to work whilst being on holiday, 64% reading and sending work emails whilst 8% even admitted they went into the workplace on days they’d booked off and 18% of employees reported feeling more stressed when they returned than before they went on holiday.

Further to the holiday stress employees feel about taking holidays, 42% of managers have reported having to encourage their teams to take time off with 54% of employees ending up not taking their full entitlement of holidays.

Charles Elvin, chief executive of the ILM, said that it is crucial that people are able to make the most of their time off work to fully relax, reflect and recharge. “This allows them fresh perspective and energy to tackle their work on return from holiday,” he said.

“Finding work-life balance is easier said than done. But organisations can foster positive work environments by encouraging staff to use their full holiday allowance, handing over responsibilities to co-workers in the lead up to leave, and having face-to-face meetings on their return.”