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Survey: Managers skip summer holidays

9 July 2013

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Many managers are planning to skip summer holidays this year in order to avoid falling behind on work. 

A survey released by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) found that 35% of managers will not take a holiday this year, while 69% will only use part of their annual leave. 

For those who do go on holiday, more than a quarter (26%) admit they will check their emails once or twice a week, with 19% taking a look “most days”. 

Petra Wilton, CMI’s Director of Strategy said: “Of course taking time off can be tricky, but by arming yourself with the skills and techniques you need to manage yourself and your teams effectively, you can make the most of your time at work – and make it easier to take a break.”  

Common concerns for managers returning to holidays include forgetting passwords, dealing with bad decisions made in their absence and readjusting to early mornings and long commutes. 

Over half of the respondents who work while on holiday do so to avoid the need to clear a backlog of work on their return. 

However, 88% of managers agree that having a good break “refreshes them”.