According to a new survey by the country’s leading reception service providers, the hardest thing for Britain’s lawyers to do is switch off when on holiday.
In a recent poll by Moneypenny 82 per cent of UK lawyers admitted to checking their emails whilst on holiday, with almost half (49 per cent) reading them daily and an obsessive one in ten monitoring them on an hourly basis whilst on the beach or by the pool.
Three quarters (76 per cent) said they routinely take business calls during their time on holiday with one in ten having actually cancelled or cut short a vacation because of work.
The poll by Moneypenny also revealed that 39 per cent of stressed solicitors had interrupted their break to attend meetings when they should be relaxing.
And it seems that their concept of relaxation might be at odds with everybody else’s. Nearly half, (46%), reported that they found it easier to unwind on holiday with the mobile phone switched on.
Conducted in May this year, the Moneypenny ‘Holiday Hell or Holiday Heaven?’ survey included a statistical cross section of 2,500 businesses across the country including the legal sector.
Rachel Clacher, Director of Moneypenny said: “It is clear from these results that work issues follow the vast majority of solicitors away when they try to take time off. With this sector forming the bedrock of the UK economy, the more that can be done to counter the stress this causes the better.
“If law firms invested in the right support services, working efficiencies and capabilities could be raised throughout the year. Using such facilities means that work would intrude less on lawyers on holiday, enabling them to enjoy peace of mind. Safe in the knowledge that should any of their clients call in their absence; it will be business as usual. Consequently being away has little or no impact, allowing them to relax and recharge their batteries.�
Set up in January 2000 by brother and sister team Ed Reeves and Rachel Clacher, Moneypenny is an award-winning business which combines sophisticated technology and highly trained staff to offer the UK’s first and only comprehensive outsourced Reception and call handling service.