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WORLD BUSINESS

Tied to the office on vacation

By Nick Easen for CNN

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Some employees are asked to leave itinerary information so bosses can keep in touch with them.

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Many executives insist that if they are taking a vacation they will not fall into the trap of worrying about work and contact the office, but some invariably do.

In an era of mobile phones, PDAs, BlackBerrys, access to virtual office networks and cellular signals in remote vacation spots, it means that staying in touch with work -- 24/7 -- has never been easier.

The latest research shows that one in six British workers will contact their office by telephone or e-mail while on vacation this summer.

And out of this group, the majority, 79 percent, expect to do so more than once a week. A quarter of these executives will even contact the office at least once a day.

The research commissioned by Hudson recruitment consultancy and conducted by research firm YouGov encompassed the views of 1,690 employees and employers in the UK.

Hudson found that executives work on holiday for three reasons: some of them have to, others work because their corporate culture dictates that they call in, while some have their own expectations and believe that they should stay in touch.

"Often managers and decision makers feel they cannot make that break, whereas those in junior roles do not think it is vital for them to contact the office," Geraldine Hetherington, CEO of Hudson told CNN.

"But working through your holiday is a false economy. Holidays are essential to recharge your batteries and regain perspective. All employees need a mental and physical break."

Male workers are the worst culprits, with one in five planning to get in touch with work during their vacation, compared with one in eight women.

"It is mostly men in their late 30s and 40s, it is the fathers who work late and use their BlackBerrys, and it is definitely a London thing," says Hetherington.

The capital contains Britain's worst workaholics, with 23 percent expecting to connect with the office while on their summer break. Scottish workers are least likely to check in, with only 15 percent planning to do so.

There is also a change in mind set. "In the past, people knew that they had to be contactable on holiday, now office workers choose to contact holidaying staff deliberately," explains Hetherington.

"A good CEO can go on holiday and lead by example and not contact the office. If you are a manager constantly checking in, you demoralize your staff and indicate you do not trust them to cooperate in your absence."

The survey also showed that one in seven workers are not taking a break at all, instead they are choosing to work throughout the summer.

Hetherington encourages workers to take time off this holiday season and not be tempted to check in with the office, here is some advice:

  • Block some time out: Keep some time free in your diary before you go so you have a chance to finish off work and can avoid taking on new jobs at the last minute. Do the same for your first day back, so you give yourself a chance to catch up during work time.
  • Recycle: Clear your inbox, in-tray, desk or workspace before you go and ensure you are organized and up-to-date for your return.
  • E-mail notice: Put an "out of office" message on your e-mails and on telephone. If people know you are away, they will not expect a response and you will be less tempted to check in. Make sure you direct them to another colleague to minimize hassles on your return.
  • Advance warning: Give plenty of notice and hand over as much work as possible before you go away and ensure all your team, clients, colleagues and employers know you are off on holiday and not be contactable.
  • Leave the communication gadgets at home: Do not give yourself the option of checking in and if you do need to take your work mobile phone, keep it off and only respond to urgent messages.
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