Workplace Is ‘an Increasing Health Hazard’

By Prof. Ron Penny

Employers who choose to ignore or discount the importance of annual leave risk becoming uncompetitive, according to a specialist in workplace health and well-being.

Prof. Ron Penny from St Vincent's Clinic in Sydney said these employers exposed themselves to greater risks of employee burnout, lower productivity and eventually staff turnover. An Australia-wide survey into annual leave accrual which showed tens of thousands of workers are reluctant to take holidays. They have accumulated 70 million annual leave days or 14 million weeks, equating to about $11billion. The Tourism Australia commissioned survey was launched with a pilot program by Australian Human Resources Institute to address the issue of leave stockpiling - the No Leave, No Life program.

(Crown Content OHS Bulletin; vol. 15, no 335)