Over a quarter of marketing professionals don’t use all of their annual leave
- 27% of marketing professionals reported that they hadn’t used all of their annual leave last year.
- The most common reason was pressure to complete a project or not being allowed to take their leave (30%).
- Just 16% of employers compensated marketing professionals for extra hours worked, either through overtime pay or time off in lieu.
Over the last twelve months marketing professionals have come under increasing pressure to adapt marketing strategies to tight deadlines to take advantage of new technology for firms across a range of industries.
As a result, many have been left struggling to find the time to take their annual leave.
https://www.robertwalters.co.uk/
Stuart MacSween, Manager at Robert Walters, comments:
“Across a range of industries, reviews of digital marketing strategies in particular have been common, as businesses look to keep pace with changing technology.”
“As a result, marketing professionals are often under pressure to deliver these projects to tight deadlines as employers look to take advantage of new developments in digital and online platforms for marketing purposes.”
“However, if these projects are not managed effectively it is easy for marketing teams to become overworked, struggling to take their allocation of annual leave.”
“In turn, this may leave staff running the risk of suffering from burnout, lowering productivity and staff morale.”
PRESSURE TO MEET PROJECT DEADLINES DRIVES PROFESSIONALS TO GIVE UP ANNUAL LEAVE
The survey also found that of among marketing professionals who did not use all their annual leave, 30% made the decision in order to meet deadlines for particular projects.
10% said that they didn’t use all of their annual leave due to fear of falling behind at work.
Stuart MacSween continues:
“The time sensitive nature of some marketing projects may mean that employers do need to ask staff to put in extra hours in order to deliver them before their deadline.”
“However, employers looking to secure top talent should not underestimate the importance of ensuring that policies are in place to help staff manage their workload to avoid having to work additional hours.”
“Increasingly, it is flexible working policies, such as time off in lieu, that are important to professionals to help them ensure a good work life balance rather than financial rewards for extra hours worked.”
