Eurofound study: 1 in 5 European workers contacted during vacation

A Eurofound analysis finds that one in five European employees report being contacted for work outside regular hours several times a month. Among those reached daily, at least six out of ten say they feel constantly or almost constantly stressed.

The study highlights how such constant availability erodes the separation between holiday and work, turning vacations into an incomplete “airplane mode”. Sesame HR, a European digital‑HR platform, notes that the right to disconnect depends on organisational practices. Proper planning of leave, clear visibility of absences, balanced workload distribution and well‑defined handovers can preserve rest periods. Conversely, poor summer‑time management leads to last‑minute tasks, overloaded colleagues and heightened stress, especially in small‑ and medium‑sized enterprises.

The findings underline the importance of structured vacation policies for employee wellbeing across Europe.