A recent study has shed light on an emerging workplace concern in the UAE and Middle East — professionals are struggling to switch off during their annual leave, with many returning to work more stressed than when they left.
According to a report by global recruitment firm Robert Walters, 54% of employees admitted to checking their work emails during their time off. Of those, nearly half said it was to avoid the heavy backlog of tasks waiting for them upon return, while 41% cited the need to stay updated on urgent matters.
The findings point to a growing trend of “annual leave anxiety,” with 65% of professionals in the region saying they feel nervous and anxious about going back to work after a holiday. Only 22% claimed to feel truly refreshed after their break.
“Returning to work can trigger many anxieties for professionals — falling behind on important projects, missing major updates, or even being handed much heavier workloads,” said Jason Grundy, managing director of Robert Walters Middle East, in a Khaleej Times report. “Annual leave should provide professionals respite and a chance to reset – it shouldn’t cause them to become more stressed than before they went away.”
The study, released during the region’s peak summer holiday period, also highlighted that 54% of workers find it difficult to manage accumulated tasks post-holiday, leading them to adopt “firefighting” strategies just to catch up.
Another factor contributing to the stress is the constant digital connectivity. Grundy noted that while platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams improve collaboration, they often give professionals the feeling that they must remain available even while on break.
Adding to this is a growing fear of falling behind — dubbed “FOFB” — which appears widespread in the region. The study found that 63% of professionals feel it’s easier to relax during holidays only when their entire team is also on leave.
“Not only are professionals resorting to inbox-watching during annual leave,” Grundy added, “but some are even putting off booking it altogether due to fears of how it may make them look at work.”
