Three quarters of workers refuse to turn their blackberrys and mobiles off when on holiday, which is not a surprise when you consider that over half admit they feel stressed, anxious and concerned about their workload before they’ve even packed the suntan lotion.

These are the findings of secretarial and office support recruitment consultancy Office Angels. The results paint a bleak picture of the pressure holidaying workers are under even when away from the office.

The consultancy claims that for the majority of workers, the traditional R&R of an annual break has been replaced by W&W (work and worry).

A quarter of the respondents said they were actually glad to return to work as they thrive on routine, going some way to explaining why one in 10 choose to leave more than a year between each holiday.

For most workers (77 per cent) any positive effects of taking a break only last three days, while for just over half the most important ingredient for helping them to wind down is the knowledge that helpful colleagues are in place to ease the pressure.

Office Angels suggest getting a tan, taking 10 days’ leave, ensuring a proper handover is in place and planning the next trip away on return, are all ways of helping holidays go with a swing.

David Clubb, managing director of the recruitment outfit, said: “Holidays are vital – a happy, productive workforce needs time to recharge. To make the most of your break think of it like a meeting – the better prepared you are the better the outcome. Put aside plenty of time before your last day in the office to brief colleagues on any outstanding work or potential problems they’ll need to know about while you’re away and you’ll be much more likely to enjoy a relaxing time.”