UK SME bosses don’t switch off over Christmas

According to a recent survey conducted by Vistaprint, more than half of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) bosses and decision-makers in the UK will be working on Christmas day.

Researched revealed that only 12 per cent of small business owners expect to ‘switch off’ for the whole of the Christmas period.

Similarly, over 75 per cent of UK SME owners will work in some capacity during the entire festive season.

Meanwhile, two-thirds of those working on Christmas Day expect to work more than six hours and a further 18 per cent anticipate working more than 10 hours straight.

The survey showed that one in five small business owners will be keeping an eye on their emails on Christmas Day, while 15 per cent said it would be a normal working day and 17 per cent would be catching up on paperwork.

Over the festive season, there is a massive increase in demand and pressure for SME owners to fulfil the consumer demand. Alongside solving cash-flow problems, businesses have to ensure that deliveries arrive on time and make sure their brand stands out against competitors during this busy period.

For those that have taken a break on Christmas Day, two-thirds revealed that they will be back working on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Simon Braier, Director of Customer Strategy at Vistaprint, said: “Small business owners put their hearts and souls into their businesses and naturally at key times of the year this pressure increases.

“But Christmas is also an important time for family, and we’d like to encourage small business owners whenever possible to take a well-deserved rest during this period.

“Returning to their business after spending some quality time with their family can help business owners bring fresh ideas and a renewed sense of drive to their work, ensuring a strong start to the New Year.”

While UK entrepreneurs are extremely dedicated to ensuring their business’ success, it is important that over the Christmas period they take this opportunity to have a break from work.

If you are a small business owner and you need help with tax and accounting, be sure to get in touch with us over the festive period.