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It is estimated that about 90,000 people in the UK take a career break each year.
The latest research from Direct Line (Feb 2007) states that:
'Millions of British workers are set to trade in their parking permit for a
passport as they plan to take sabbaticals from work. Nearly 5.5 million
employees* are currently contemplating their escape from the workplace,
according to new research from Direct Line Travel Insurance. And they're set to
join the ranks of the three million workers ** who have already temporarily
climbed off the career ladder over the past five years.
Attracted by the benefits of working for firms that offer their staff time
out, one in four employees (26 per cent) work for a company where sabbaticals
are a staff perk. The government, public sector, finance and insurance
industries are leading the way (40 per cent of employees working in these
sectors are able to take sabbaticals) followed by IT and telecomms (36 per cent)
and medicine/health service (25 per cent).
Employees offered sabbaticals by sector:
= 1. Government/ Public Sector (40 per cent)
= 1. Finance/ Insurance (40
per cent)
3. IT/ Telecommunications (36 per cent)
National average (26 per
cent)
4. Medicine/ Health Services (25 per cent)
5. Education (24 per
cent)
= 6. Travel/ Transport (22 per cent)
= 6. Construction (22 per
cent)
8. Retail (14 per cent)
According to the Direct Line Travel Insurance research, wanderlust is
the main reason why people are packing their bags - 43 per cent having
always wanted to go travelling. However, one in three workers planning
a sabbatical say they are looking to take a break from the rat race (30
per cent) and one in four claim to be suffering from burn out (23 per
cent). Sabbaticals also appear to make sense for businesses, helping
with recruitment and retention. One in four employees (24 per cent)
said they would be more likely to work for a firm that offered
sabbaticals, with one in three (33 per cent) saying they would be more
likely to remain with a firm long-term if they knew they could take a
career break. Despite this, not all firms are in favour of sabbaticals.
More than one in 10 workers who have taken a sabbatical said that their
employer was not supportive, with two thirds (64 per cent) of these
revealing their boss had tried to prevent them from leaving. One in
three quit their job completely for the freedom of travelling.
Chris Price, Business Manager at Direct Line Travel Insurance comments:
"Taking an extended break from work used to be the preserve of a
privileged few, but now more and more people are taking time out from their
careers to travel. It seems that firms are recognising this desire and are
offering sabbaticals as a way of recruiting and retaining the best staff.'
For further information please contact:
Carmel McCarthy / Direct Line
Press Office
0208 256 2178 / carmel.mccarthy@directline.com
Notes to Editors:
Research was carried out online between 30 January and 1 February 2007 by
YouGov Plc, who questioned a sample of 2,407 adults in Britain. Results
are weighted to be representative of the GB population. YouGov is a member of
the British Polling Council.
Notes to Editors:
* There are 44.2 million adults in Britain (Office for National Statistics).
Sixty nine per cent of adults are in employment of whom 18 per cent are planning
a sabbatical (YouGov). Therefore:
44,200,000 x 0.69 x 0.18 = 5,489,640
** There are 44.2 million adults in Britain (Office for National Statistics).
Sixty nine per cent of adults are in employment of whom 10 per cent have taken a
sabbatical (YouGov). Therefore:
44,200,000 x 0.69 x 0.1 = 3,094,800
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