Aussies work longest hours in developed world

Sydney, Jan 9 (ANI): Australians work the longest hours in the developed world, according to a new study.

One third of full-time workers won't take any annual leave this year, according the country's largest ever study into annual leave accrual by Tourism Australia.

Almost 60 per cent of full-timers don't use their four weeks holidays each year and have at least eight weeks of leave up their sleeve, the figures show.

Corporate men aged between 35 and 49 are the worst offenders, comprising the largest group with accrued leave - and half of them have children under the age of 12.

Australians have 121 million days of accrued annual leave, worth 31 billion dollar in holiday pay.

Geoff Buckley, Tourism Australia managing director, said there had been a shift in Australia's traditionally laid-back psyche to one where diligent workers were too busy to look at a holiday brochure.

"You've got younger people who are driving to create a career and don't take the leave that they're owed," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Buckley, as saying.

"Or there is the other end of the market where they're worried about taking leave and maybe not having a job at the end of it.

"And then there is a whole group who are keeping that leave up their sleeve in case something happens.

"That's a big risk strategy for people with families or who are struggling to pay the mortgage. It's almost like a forced savings," Buckley

And when people do take time off, they're opting for short, weekend escapes over the traditional month-long coast holiday, popular 20 years ago.

Buckley said many people felt a short break was enough, while others had too much trouble finding a long stretch when both partners could get time off work. (ANI)