Just 27% of respondents do not find returning to work after the Christmas and New Year break stressful, according to research by MetLife Employee Benefits.
Its survey of 1,064 employees also found that around a third (31%) of respondents cite catching up on work they failed to finish before the festive break as the biggest cause of workplace stress on returning to work.
The research also found:
- A quarter (25%) of respondents are concerned about financial pressures resulting from Christmas spending.
- 43% of respondents cite readjusting to work after taking time off as the main cause of stress.
- 38% of respondents over the age of 55 are not worried about returning to work, compared to 19% of those aged between 18 and 34.
Tom Gaynor (pictured), employee benefits director at MetLife UK, said: “Making the most of time away from work is important and employees need to be able to relax. Of course it is a bit of a shock to the system having to go back to routines after holidays but readjusting should not be a cause of stress and worry. However, it seems it is a concern for many people as they worry about catching up with backlogs at work.
“Workplace stress is a major issue for employers and employees and it has a real impact on business performance. There are, however, a range of practical steps organisations can take to help address the issues before they become a major problem.”