Many Entrepreneurs Feel Pressured To Work Through Holidays

As Christmas approaches, a survey by cloud software firm Xero has found that three-quarters of small business owners in the UK plan to work during their holidays - with almost half devoting up to three hours a day to their company.

According to the poll, around one in six small business owners won't take any time off at all over the festive season, while 15% will spend more than half a day working.

The figures revealed a generational gap between older and younger business owners – 71% of those aged 45-54 aimed to boost profit by sacrificing holiday, compared with just 35% in the 18-24 age group.

Additionally, younger entrepreneurs were more likely to think they already had a good work-life balance, while the older generation felt they needed to improve.

"Annual leave is one of the many employee benefits that small business owners sacrifice, because it could have a detrimental impact on the bottom line," said Xero Managing Director Gary Turner.

Expert Opinion

Striking a proper work-life balance is vital for people working in businesses of all sizes, but particularly when it comes to running a small or medium-sized business. <br/> <br/>"Working through the festive period may only cause burnout in the long-run, whereas proper rest and relaxation may mean business owners are refreshed and ready to make their ambitions a reality across 2015. <br/> <br/>"Companies should not ignore the importance of also having proper HR policies in place to ensure workers understand what may be expected of them across both Christmas and New Year. Legal advice could be particularly key to ensure that the right steps are taken to keep operations running smoothly." Steven Beahan - Partner