A quarter of workers are planning on taking a long break from work in the next 12 months and the trend is forcing businesses to face up to a hefty replacement bill.

These are the findings of Norwich Union, which claims that as many as one in four workers are taking extended breaks from work in a bid to find fulfilment.

In further bad news for business, one in five will not return to work causing not only additional recruitment costs but soaring stress levels for the seven in ten who say simply covering colleagues’ two week annual break is leaving them unable to cope. And six in ten say covering extended career breaks is putting them under too much pressure.

Three quarters are taking time out to do charity or volunteer work, spending on average six months away from work, with only one in ten planning to just relax. Just under half will use the time to travel.

More women than men are currently planning sabbaticals, with figures at 68 per cent compared to 45 per cent respectively. In addition, workers in the capital are most likely to make the great escape.

A quarter believes that employees on sabbatical should receive half their salary while they are away.

Simon Quick of Norwich Union urged career breakers to plan how they will support themselves financially whilst taking time out.

And in a warning to business, Judith Brodie, director of VSO UK, the international development charity, said that the growing trends in sabbaticals are not something that will disappear.

“As we move further away from the traditional idea of the linear career path there seems to be a growing acceptance that allowing your staff time to develop their skills and widen their experiences outside of the work place is good for business.”

Seven in ten (72 per cent) believe employers will not be able to attract and retain good workers in the future without the offer of sabbaticals.