

Posted by Todd Davison on
YouGov survey for Purbeck Insurance Services
October 2024. As the UK Government looks to shake up workers' rights, a new survey by YouGov for Purbeck Insurance Services has found that work is intruding on home life for the vast majority of people. This is particularly true for those aged 25-49 (an age group more likely to have young families) and women who were found to spend marginally more time working in their personal time than men. Worryingly 1 in 10 people habitually forego some of their annual leave each year, risking burnout.
Purbeck Insurance Services, the provider of personal guarantee insurance to small business owners and directors commissioned the survey in response to the Labour Government’s ‘Make Work Pay’ which includes the right to switch off.
Todd Davison, MD of Purbeck Insurance Services said: “Our survey underlines just how much the day job is encroaching on personal time, particularly for the women in the survey. If workers are not getting adequate time away from being at or thinking about work, burnout beckons.
“Unfortunately, switching off just isn’t an option for small business owners and directors who shoulder a huge amount of responsibility, not least the financial responsibility of taking a business loan. However, there is clearly a need for businesses of all sizes to get a grasp on work being done by employees outside of business hours, to address this and to encourage people to take their full annual leave. Flexible working is one thing but free labour is not sustainable for individuals, businesses or the economy.
“There is no one size fits all solution to this challenge – as Labour has stated it may come down to bespoke workplace policies or contractual terms. Imposing onerous new rules on smaller businesses who are already under immense pressure, would not be the right way to go.”
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