No trouble using holiday time in the Bay

Kerry Bloor from Pyes Pa, enjoys time at the Mount Camp Ground with his family. L-R Vincent, 10, Scarlett Motley, 13 (friend), Isabella, 8, Jeanette (wife) and Stewart, 15. Photo/John Borren

Kiwi workers tend to leave about 25 per cent of their holiday entitlements unused, according to a recent survey but a Tauranga business leader believes this may not be the case in the Bay - a location prized for its lifestyle.

The research for online booking firm Expedia finds Kiwis on average have 20 days of annual leave but last year only took 15 of them.

Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief executive Stan Gregec said his view was that people not taking all their holiday entitlements was not such a big problem in the Bay as it might be in the main centres.

"People come to live and work in the Bay, and taking time off to enjoy lifestyle and the environment here is one of the key attractors.

"Our view would be that workers and staff should always have the opportunity to take their full share of holiday and leave entitlements, and we certainly encourage this with our own staff at the chamber."

Pyes Pa man Kerry Bloor holidays with his family at Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park every summer, and tries to get there throughout the year as well.

"The Mount is the best beach in the world, we've been coming here for about nine years.

"We've been here since the 15th, we normally stay three weeks each Christmas and come down in the school holidays."

A healthy work-life balance is critical, and travel doesn't have to be expensive.

Kelly Cull

Mr Bloor said as a business owner, he tried to get his staff to have their holidays because they needed them.

"If people accumulate holidays, they don't lose them but we encourage them to take them. After a holiday, they are more refreshed, more up to it, things don't bother them so much."

His family stayed at home during Christmas, waiting until after the New Year to have their time away.

"We wait until after the rush, although it's pretty busy still. There's a lot less teenagers and more families."

Expedia.co.nz travel expert Kelly Cull said while New Zealanders were aware of the importance of taking holidays, they were a "guilty pleasure" rather than something needed to recharge and be more productive in their jobs.

"A healthy work-life balance is critical, and travel doesn't have to be expensive. Two-thirds of New Zealand workers say their bosses are supportive of them taking leave so 2016 should be the year where New Zealanders say yes to getting out there and enjoying their lives outside the office."

The survey said 26 per cent of New Zealand workers reported a desire to "bank" annual leave to use the following year, well above the global average of 19 per cent.

Twenty-seven per cent of Kiwi workers cited financial concerns as a barrier and a further 23 per cent said work schedules did not permit taking more annual leave than they did.