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Why it’s time to think about your holidays
It might only be February but for most people, now is the perfect time to start planning your time off for 2024.
There are multiple reasons why:
1. Taking planned breaks throughout the year gives you the opportunity to look forward to something, it allows you to physically and mentally recharge and is good for your mental health and well-being. This has a positive effect on your work and is proven to improve employee productivity by up to 40%, and reduce the likelihood of sick leave by 28%*.
This makes taking holidays beneficial to everyone!
2. By planning your holidays now, it means that you can book well in advance and avoid taking time off at busy times of the year.
Your employer can stipulate when you do and don’t take your holidays. It is best to avoid planning time off at the yard’s busiest time of year. For example, if you are an eventing competition groom you are unlikely to get Badminton Horse Trials Week off – and in the eyes of the law this is perfectly reasonable.
3. You may feel like you don’t want to take your holidays which is not uncommon especially when you feel emotionally attached to the horses you look after, but it is really important that you take some time away from work to promote a healthier work/life balance and avoid burnout.
It is also important to note that if you don’t use your holidays then you do not have an automatic right to carry holidays over to the next year.
How many holiday days can I have?
Your employment contract (Written Statement of Terms) will detail your holiday allowance, but the minimum legal requirement for an employee working a five-day week is 28 days (5.6 weeks).
When you calculate your holiday entitlement it is important to remember that your usual days off during the week shouldn’t be used as holiday days.
For example, if you worked Monday to Sunday and your usual days off were a Tuesday and a Wednesday you wouldn’t include the Tuesday and Wednesday in your allowance. If you wanted to take Saturday to Saturday off this would use five of your holiday days (and two of your usual days off) but you would get seven days off.
When you are on holiday you get paid the same rate of pay as if you were at work – this is one of the perks of being employed v’s self-employed.
If you are self-employed then you need to still plan your holidays – but you need to factor in that you won’t get paid for any time off.
Top tip: Saving for a big expense like a holiday can feel a bit daunting, so if you do fancy a trip abroad then why not start planning finances by putting aside a small amount each week/month. This means when it comes to booking and going on your holiday you can enjoy it knowing that you have saved in advance.
The British Grooms Association have lots of information regarding holidays and discussing them with your employer: https://britishgrooms.org.uk/member-services/my-employment/holidays and of course the team at Equine Elite are always on hand to help.
Happy holiday planning!
*https://theconversation.com/annual-leave-heres-the-evidence-for-why-you-should-use-it-up-and-how-to-make-the-most-of-it-185503