A recent publication of a survey by Mercer HR research reports that holidays within the UK are among the lowest in Europe. However things are changing, later this year the statutory minimum will increase by four days with another four days being added in 2009. This week Quentin takes a provocative view on the issue of holidays, what they are for and why we are so far behind our European colleagues – and asks if it all matters.

Leaving aside salary, holidays are probably regarded as the most valuable element of employment packages. I would estimate that for many they are even considered more valuable than pensions. But why? Have we not got to the position that everyone has a basic entitlement and anything else is only of a marginal incremental value?

Have holidays passed their sell by date now? Originally holidays amounted to no more than a week off – and that was when people often worked a six day week. Today many will say that they need their holidays to get over the stress of working lives. But is work any more stressful than 50 years ago?

I accept there are different stresses, but for many the working environment is much more pleasant than 50 years ago, there is more respect for employees, much stronger employment rights are in place and in relative terms pay is much higher. So why do people need more time off? Granted more stress has come into the workplace, but a fair bit has disappeared as well.

Fear of injury, while relevant in some sectors, is much less of an issue in general terms and the vigilance of the HSE means that the physical working environment is cleaner – all the more so when smoking is banned. So why are we rushing to get away? I guess some of the answer relates to lifestyle, and possibly keeping up with the Jones.

I think if you look at many organisations there are always some people who don’t use their entitlement to the full – and it’s not just the senior managers. Is there something here about commitment and being valued that, for some at least, means they don’t want to take their full entitlement? Yet if holidays are all about giving people a proper break, why don’t more businesses make sure that people do take their full entitlement?

If employers are serious about holidays providing a proper break from the alleged stresses at work, why don’t they take a more active role in policing holidays and making sure that they are spread out reasonably evenly across the year?

How many employers actively look to see if any employees go more than a year without any significant holiday – easily done if you take entitlement at the start of one holiday year and at the end of the next.

Should we worry if we are at the lower end of European entitlements for holidays? I think probably not, what should be addressed is working hours, productivity while at work as well as sickness absence. For a competitiveness aspect there is an argument that says it doesn’t matter how much holiday people have so long as they do the work – unfortunately nowhere in the debates about holidays is there any quantifiable debate about productivity, and after all isn’t that why people are at work?

So what horror stories do you have about holidays? How active is your organisation in policing holidays and making sure people take their full entitlement? Do you think we should be giving staff longer holidays – and if so why?

Quentin Colborn is an independent HR consultant based in Essex who advises management teams on operational and strategic HR issues. Quentin can be contacted on 01376 571360 or via Quentin@qcpeople.co.uk