All work and no play for bosses

From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Thursday 24th Jul 2003.

MANY small business bosses are missing out on their summer holidays because they can not afford to take time off, research shows.

A recent poll found that up to a third of bosses of the UK's 3.7 million small and medium-sized businesses will be unable to take any days off this summer.

And a quarter said they would try to take a break, but it would be for just a week.

They blame the problem on pressure to juggle surges in seasonal demand and a lack of staff cover.

Paul Jameson, MD of Out-source UK, an IT recruitment agency based in Old Town, says he has been forced to cancel trips away in the past.

"About a month ago I was due to take a week off to do a snowboarding instructors' course.

"But we had a big project on and I felt that I had to be there to support the staff.

"I would have felt guilty going off on holiday while everyone else was running around ­ even though I am sure nobody would have minded.

"As a boss you are responsible for your company," he said.

Mr Jameson claims it is extremely hard to forget about work, even when he does manage to get away.

He said: "It virtually impossible to completely forget about work. When I'm dropping off to sleep I'm thinking about that project or who I am going to get in to do that particular job. It's never far from the surface."

But while Robin Goddard, sales manager of Southwest-based lending firm Bibby Factors, agrees that the summer can be a fraught time, he says there are steps bosses can take to minimise problems.

He said: "Large surges in seasonal demand can throw firms off track.

"With proper planning, owners and managers can not only survive the summer season but can take the time to have a proper holiday themselves away from the daily grind.

"Providing any leave is planned and properly managed, there is no reason why busy bosses can't take a well-deserved break without minimal disruption to their businesses," Mr Goddard said.

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