Tourism Australia has conducted the country’s largest ever study on annual leave accrual, leading the way in unlocking Australia’s staggering 70 million days of stockpiled leave and giving a boost to our domestic travel industry. Here are some key facts from the research.

Did you know?

		Annual leave accrual is endemic across all sizes of business and industries. No business is too big or small to feel the impact of accrued leave. Our research findings are consistent across the 13 large, medium and small companies, employing more than 300,000 employees – annual leave stockpiling has become entrenched workplace behaviour potentially affecting every business regardless of size or type.
		Australia has 70 million days of accrued annual leave. This equates to 14 million weeks and around $11 billion dollars. Isn’t it time you took an Australian holiday?
		Nearly 60% of full-time workers do not use their full 4 weeks annual leave each year and have accrued 8 weeks or more annual leave. How many days annual leave do you have?
		One third of full-time workers do not take any annual leave in a year. So not one day of leave, not one!!
		Australians work the longest hours in the developed world. Now I’m really tired!
		Around 40% of respondents cite workplace issues as the most significant barriers to taking leave – this includes finding someone to cover for people on leave and increased workload before and after leave, as well as dreaded email overload.
		Less than 25% said that they accrued leave due to personal issues – this includes fitting leave around their travelling companion’s availability, finding money for a holiday and fitting leave around kids’ commitments.
		Over 40% of annual leave accruers are aged 35-49. Is that you?
		In fact, corporate males aged 35-49 represent the largest uniform segment on accrued leave – and half of those have children under 12 years of age  – hey guys take a holiday!
		Women aged 39-45 with kids under 12 are also less like to take their four weeks leave – perhaps they’re married to those guys in point 7!!
		72% of corporates say they intend to take 4 weeks leave this year. Make sure you’re one of them!!.
		The longer you work in an organisation, the more likely you are to accrue annual leave. 61% of corporates had accrued 8 weeks or more of leave.
		Older employees in the 50+ age group are also more likely to accrue their leave.
		Corporate managers have higher levels of accrued leave than non-managers – more than 60%.