of Brits check their work emails while away - a new poll has found.

 

The survey, by serviced office searching platform LondonOffices.com, asked 600 business professionals a series of questions about their holiday emailing habits.

 

The poll found that more than two thirds, 68%, confessed to checking their emails at least once when on vacation.

 

A slightly smaller 58% admitted to answering emails if they deemed the message to be urgent enough.

 

A dedicated 32% of respondents said that they continued to respond to important emails, while a workaholic one in five, 21%, confessed to answering the majority of emails they received on holiday.

 

On the other hand, more than a fifth of respondents, 23%, said they did not check their emails when on holiday and nine per cent admitted to deliberately leaving their phone or tablet computer at home.

 

A spokesperson for LondonOffices.com commented: "In this age of instant communications it is very hard for people to switch off.

 

"Most of us can pick up our work emails on our mobile phones or tablet computers so it is very difficult to get away from them unless we conscientiously decide to leave them at home.

 

"Personally I see no harm in people checking their emails on holiday. After all holidays are about de-stressing and for some, not knowing what's happening at work can be really stressful."

 

One respondent commented: "I always make a point of turning my work phone off and leaving it a home whenever I go on holiday.

 

"I'm fully aware that this irritates many of my co-workers, but my holiday is my holiday and I should be able to shut off from work completely.

 

"I know full well that if I am tempted to just ‘check' my emails I'll start responding to them - before you know it I'll be phoning the office."

 

However another woman said: "I get bored on holiday very quickly - there are only so many hours I can sit by a pool so eventually my mind turns to work.

 

"I get my work emails coming through to my phone - so it is just out of habit that I check them when I check my personal messages.

 

"I really don't understand why some people are so militant about not checking emails on holiday. I mean is it really that onerous to forward an important message onto a colleague?"