Almost 1 in 2 Belgians experience high levels of stress when returning from summer leave

Summer holidays are supposed to be a time to relax – a chance to truly unwind, recharge your batteries and return to work with renewed energy. However, recent research by recruitment specialist Robert Walters among Belgian professionals shows that for many, returning to work is associated with stress, anxiety and even guilt. And that has consequences, both for the well-being of employees and for productivity in the workplace.

Holiday over, stress begins  

The survey shows that almost half of Belgian professionals (47%) feel stressed or nervous at the thought of returning to work after the summer holidays. 15% even say they feel “very anxious”.   

Özlem Simsek, managing director at Robert Walters, notes: ‘Annual leave is intended to give professionals a breather and a chance to reset – it should not lead to more stress than before they went on holiday.’  

Inbox stress as the biggest culprit  

The biggest stress factor for Belgian employees when returning from holiday is undoubtedly their overflowing inbox: 45% cite this as their main source of tension. Other significant stressors include missing important updates (23%), problems with handover or backlogged work (18%) and the fear of falling behind (15%).

The stress is so prevalent that many professionals admit to employing firefighting tactics while on leave: 65% of respondents check their work emails during their annual leave to limit the backlog upon their return or to keep an eye on urgent matters.   

‘Thanks to modern tools, we are now accessible anywhere and anytime, which offers flexibility and freedom. But that constant connectivity also means that many professionals feel pressured to regularly check their work even during their holidays,’ says Özlem.  

Guilt keeps employees away from holidays

Professionals not only limit their holiday stress by continuing to check their mailbox – they even regularly postpone their leave. No less than 56% say they often or regularly postpone holidays due to feelings of guilt or persistent work pressure.  

When employees feel guilty about taking leave, it can indicate a problem in the corporate culture.

‘Managers need to make it clear to their team members that taking time off is not a sign of weakness, but a prerequisite for sustainable performance.’

Collective closure: solution or just more stress?  

Collective summer leave, which has been standard practice in certain sectors such as construction and manufacturing for years, could offer a solution to post-holiday stress: everyone goes on holiday at the same time, which helps to avoid feelings of falling behind or ‘FOMO’ (Fear of Missing Out).

However, enthusiasm for this among Belgian professionals remains limited: only 16% strongly support the idea of a collective closure, while 55% prefer personal flexibility and the right to decide for themselves when to take holidays.  

Interestingly, 57% of Belgian professionals do indicate that it is easier to relax when the rest of the team is also on holiday. However, in practice, this does not seem to be enough to trade a bit of freedom for collective closures.  

European phenomenon  

Belgium is certainly not the only country where holiday stress is an issue, but there are interesting differences.  

In Switzerland, post-holiday stress is even higher: 53% feel anxious or stressed when they return, with as many as 29% feeling very anxious. Swiss employees check their email slightly more often while on holiday (66%). Guilt also plays a stronger role there: 71% sometimes avoid taking leave due to work pressure.  

In Spain and France, stress levels are significantly higher than in Belgium, with 63% and 64% respectively feeling nervous after their holidays. It is striking that collective summer closures are popular in France: 60% say they are able to relax better as a result, compared to only 20% in Spain.  

The figures are most extreme in the United Kingdom: 78% feel anxious and stressed when returning from holiday. More than half regularly check work emails during their leave.  

Creating the right culture

The results of the study show that holidays do not always equate to real rest. Inbox stress, constant availability and the lack of clear handover ensure that many employees do not make full use of their holidays, or even hesitate to take them.  

‘However, there is no one-size-fits-all solution,’ explains Özlem. ‘What is much more important is creating a work culture in which disconnecting is truly encouraged – regardless of whether leave is taken collectively or individually.’  

Consider, for example:

• clear handovers before leave
• respecting out-of-office messages
• realistic expectations about availability
• and an open dialogue about leave without guilt
   

Only then can professionals truly recharge and companies count on a fresh, motivated and productive team after the summer.

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