News and features

Fri, 23 Jan 2009

Holidays can boost productivity at work, says ABTA

Employees work harder in anticipation of going on holiday, according to travel agents' association.

Holidays have the power to increase employee productivity both before and after they go away, the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) has claimed.

Frances Tuke, spokesperson for the travel industry organisation, said that holidays have an important role to play in maintaining satisfaction and efficiency among people in the workplace.

According to Ms Tuke, taking a vacation not only refreshes employees and helps them to be more productive when they return to work, but can also boost their productivity before they leave.

She explained that booking a holiday often leads to "sunticipation" among workers, with positive thoughts of their upcoming break inspiring them to work harder during the preceding weeks.

"By booking a holiday early, it actually gives them quite a lot of motivation to do their work better," Ms Tuke said.

"There is the 'sunticipation' aspect, which can be quite strong and gets people to be a bit more productive."

Her comments reflect the findings of a recent ABTA survey, which discovered that 66 per cent of Britons claim to experience a "huge emotional high" from their summer holidays.

In addition, 50 per cent said that the break in routine provided by a holiday was a vital part of their life, particularly given the current gloom of the UK's economic outlook.

Psychotherapist Christine Webber, who helped develop the survey, explained: "Having something to look forward to like a holiday often helps us focus more on current tasks.

"The feel-good impact is felt from the moment you start to pick a destination and, in these troubled times, the whole process offers welcome relief."

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