Research conducted by Just Eat for Business suggests a majority of workers are being actively discouraged from taking time off work.

According to data from the Annual Leave Allowances survey, a fifth of UK office workers have had leave requests rejected or amended, resulting in them not being able to take time off work when they wanted. The most common reason for preventing employees taking leave was staff shortages, with businesses often struggling to find cover while employees were away.

The research also found that six out of ten office workers felt their employer explicitly discouraged them from taking annual leave, meaning most employees are either uncomfortable or unable to request time off work. This practice, however, is likely to have a negative impact on productivity levels, with more than four in ten employees saying they felt burnt out at work.

Rosie Hyam, People Partner at Just Eat, commented, “Given the emphasis on employee wellbeing and work-life balance over the last few years, it’s essential that employers are receptive to flexible working arrangements, and that they allow employees to take time away from work when needed.”