Annual Leave Anxiety: Over 50% Of UAE Employees Check Work Emails On Holiday, Says Study

More than half of the professionals in the UAE and Middle East said they check their work emails during annual leave, while only 2 out of 10 feel refreshed after a long holiday due to back-to-work anxiety.

According to a survey released by global recruitment firm Robert Walters, more than half – 54 per cent – of employees also find it challenging to reduce the backlog of work when they return after the annual leave, hence implementing firefighting tactics.

Around 54 per cent of employees said they check their work emails during annual leave to reduce the backlog they'll face upon returning. While 41 per cent do so to stay on top of urgent matters.

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Nearly two-thirds – 65 per cent – of employees in the UAE and Middle East feel nervous and anxious when they return to work after annual leave.

The study comes at a time when a large number of UAE professionals take annual leave during the summer break. The majority of them take breaks for less than – or around – a month as they travel to their home countries or cooler climes.

“Professionals suffering with 'annual leave anxiety' not only threaten to lower already historically low engagement rates, but it could have major implications for productivity rates for workplaces across the region,” said Jason Grundy, managing director of Robert Walters Middle East.

Grundy suggested that apps like Slack and MS Teams are useful, but they can result in professionals feeling obligated to 'check in' during their holidays.

FOMO to FOFB

The study by Robert Walters revealed that approximately only two out of 10 –22 per cent- of employees in the region feel refreshed and ready to work after a long holiday due to back-to-work anxiety.

“Returning to work can trigger many anxieties for professionals, falling behind on important projects, missing major updates, or even being handed much heavier workloads. Annual leave should provide professionals respite and a chance to reset – it shouldn't cause them to become more stressed than before they went away,” said Grundy.

The study found that a new phenomenon FOFB, the fear of falling behind, seems to be rife in workplaces as nearly two-thirds, 63 per cent – of professionals across the Middle East state that it's much easier to relax on annual leave when their teams are also off.

“Not only are professionals resorting to inbox-watching during annual leave, but some are even putting off booking it altogether due to fears of how it may make them look at work,” said Grundy.

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