PAY DATA
Wide sector variations in holidays and working hours
Average annual holiday entitlement for employees varies by around five days between different sectors, while basic weekly working hours vary by about 10%. These are among the findings of new research by Incomes Data Services, the independent employment research organisation.
IDS has analysed working time arrangements in nearly 500 organisations and industry agreements to establish the current pattern. The results show an overall average basic holiday entitlement of 24.6 days a year for employees in Britain, excluding public holidays.
But the research throws up big differences between sectors:
| Average basic holiday entitlement by sector | |
| Industry sector | Days of holiday |
| Agriculture & forestry | 23.6 |
| Mining & quarrying | 26.5 |
| Glass, ceramics & building materials | 25.0 |
| Oil, chemicals & pharmaceuticals | 25.2 |
| Engineering (including electronics) | 24.8 |
| Food, drink & tobacco | 25.2 |
| Textiles, clothing & footwear | 24.5 |
| Paper, print & packaging | 25.1 |
| Other manufacturing | 23.7 |
| Construction | 22.9 |
| Energy & water | 26.1 |
| Transport, storage & distribution | 24.2 |
| Retail | 22.9 |
| Finance | 25.1 |
| IT, telecommunications & media | 24.6 |
| Hotels & leisure | 21.6 |
| Public services | 25.0 |
| Not-for-profit | 24.4 |
| Overall average | 24.6 |
Source: IDS hours and holidays database.
Hours
Basic working hours too show a lot of sectoral variation. The overall average stands at 37.2 hours a week. While in agriculture & forestry, employees average a basic 38.8-hour week, in the finance sector the average drops to just 35.2 hours.
| Average basic weekly hours by sector | |
| Industry sector | Hours |
| Agriculture & forestry | 38.8 |
| Mining & quarrying | 38.7 |
| Glass, ceramics & building materials | 37.8 |
| Oil, chemicals & pharmaceuticals | 37.4 |
| Engineering (including electronics) | 37.4 |
| Food, drink & tobacco | 37.5 |
| Textiles, clothing & footwear | 38.4 |
| Paper, print & packaging | 37.8 |
| Other manufacturing | 37.2 |
| Construction | 38.2 |
| Energy & water | 36.9 |
| Transport, storage & distribution | 37.4 |
| Retail | 37.9 |
| Finance | 35.2 |
| IT, telecommunications & media | 37.7 |
| Hotels & leisure | 38.0 |
| Public services | 37.0 |
| Not-for-profit | 36.4 |
| Overall average | 37.2 |
Source: IDS hours and holidays database.
A final word
"Our research shows that there have been relatively few reductions in hours or improvements in holidays over the past year, so long-standing differences between organisations and sectors remain firmly entrenched. Taking a ten-year perspective, average basic hours are only slightly down, although annual leave is almost a day longer on average than a decade ago." -- Jim Cowie, Head of HR Services at IDS.
Want to know more?
Title: "Hours and Holidays 2004", IDS HR Study 784, October 2004.
Availability: To order your copy contact customer services at Incomes Data Services in London, tel: 020 7324 2599.
IDS is a leading UK information and research service on employment issues, providing a range of publications for employers, unions, government departments and other agencies. To find out more visit www.incomesdata.co.uk
Posted 20 December 2004