No holiday for many Scots over Christmas

MORE than half of Scottish office staff have signed up to work over Christmas, according to a survey published yesterday.

Some 46 per cent of workers will have to travel into their offices between Christmas and Hogmanay, with only one-third of them believing that they will get any meaningful work done during the festive period.

Even staff who are due to be on holiday confess to not switching off from work, with 69 per cent admitting they will check their work e-mails on their smartphones or other mobile devices during their vacations.

Greg Lunn, regional director at office block operator Regus, which compiled the figures, said: “Our research suggests many Scots are not taking full advantage of the Christmas break.

“The survey sounds a note of caution to those who have taken holiday but plan to be in ‘online’. It is ironic the very technology that affords us flexibility also blurs the distinction between work and home life. Stress and burn-out are very real threats.”