Owner-managers of small firms are taking little or no holiday as a result of the pressures of running a business, research has found.
The majority of owners and directors of small UK businesses are taking far less holiday each year than senior staff in larger organisations, a BT Business study found.
A significant 39% of owners and directors in businesses with up to ten employees take a mere 15 or fewer days’ holiday a year. This is in stark contrast to the 4% of managers in organisations with more than 100 employees who take as little time off.
Bill Murphy, managing director, BT Business, said: “It is understandable that small business owners and directors feel the need to be around 100 % of the time to make crucial decisions so that the business they’re so passionate about can thrive.”
However, the findings revealed that even when small business-owners do manage to leave the office to go on holiday, 40% of them still feel the need to keep in touch with work.
And a whole 32% of those running a smaller firm feel completely unable to take a two-week break from work.
Eight out of ten of this number said they were needed in the office and therefore couldn’t take a break, 68% said they had to be in work to make important decisions, and 60% said taking a holiday could mean they miss out on new business opportunities.
© Crimson Business Ltd. 2007
