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Take leave for your senses

Taking a holiday this summer may seem natural to most, but, as ºÚ¶´ÉçÇø reporter James Macneil discovered, in 1995 getting a break from the office seemed more trouble than it was worth.

Amid increased workloads and rising working hours, a survey at the time stated that 42% of senior managers and 33% of middle managers took less holiday than they were entitled to.

Fortunately, the impact of stress on overworked employees was beginning to be realised within construction - it was a step change when firms started to insist that staff take their full holiday entitlement.

Macneil wrote: “Although construction consultants and contractors are subject to unrelenting pressures on margins, they are beginning to recognise the importance of their employees’ holidays. Speaking to ºÚ¶´ÉçÇø last month,

Mike Jeffries, chief executive of multidisciplinary consultant WS Atkins, said: ‘It’s essential to encourage staff to take their holidays. Because of pressure on fees, there has been a tendency for people to work longer and longer hours, but it becomes counter-productive.’ “

To read the full article from 18 August 1995, download the PDF below