Published on : Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Westin Hotels & Resorts today revealed the results of a newly commissioned survey looking at how technology and work obligations have impacted personal life and well-being across Europe.
The research was released as Westin Hotels & Resorts addresses a growing need amongst consumers for more leisure time with a new weekend experience offered at Westin hotels and resorts around the world. The “Westin Weekend” experience was designed to make Mondays better as it allows guests more flexibility and time to make the most out of their weekend getaway by offering to sleep in with 3pm Sunday late check-out, extended hours for an energising SuperFoodRX breakfast all weekend and more.
Europeans Fall Victim to the “Monday Blues”
With working days becoming longer and workloads heavier, nearly half of the survey respondents felt that their overall level of work stress has increased as compared to five years ago. According to the survey results, our lack of ‘down’ time to recharge and re-focus over the weekends has made Monday the least productive day of the week for an astounding 65% of respondents, many of whom also consider Monday to be the longest work day. The main reasons for an unproductive start into the week are that people do not have enough time to recharge over the weekend (36%) and are busy catching-up with work-related items which gets in the way of their personal time (36%).
With the rise in smartphone technology, work is no longer confined to the 9-5, Monday to Friday as it once was. In fact, half of respondents felt that their work days have become up to two hours longer due to their smart phone. With the line between work and personal time becoming increasingly blurred, one out of two people claim that their personal life has suffered from work obligations and that sleep (60%), relaxation (60%), well-being (54%) and family relations (54%) were most affected. Over a third claim they feel tired at the start of the working week, so it’s no surprise that 61% have been caught or spotted a colleague arriving late on a typical Monday morning.
Brits Say “I Need a Break”
In the United Kingdom, the survey results demonstrate a growing need for opportunities to unwind and disconnect over the weekend to enjoy better work-life balance:
More than half of Brits (57%) have felt anxiety and stress during the weekend in anticipation of the work week.
One out of two Brits spends up to three hours working on the weekend answering emails or calls.
Nearly 60% feel that their health and well-being has been negatively impacted by work mostly due to the lack of exercising (59%), less sleep (45%) and relaxing less often (42%).
6 out of 10 respondents have had their personal life negatively impacted by their work, with sleep and relaxation (64%), health and well-being (52%), and family relationships (45%) being most affected.
36% have quit or considered quitting a job because it impacted on their relationships (36%).
Sue Firth, Occupational Psychologist at the London Stress Clinic, said: “People need the weekend to relax and unwind from the stresses of work, so that they come back on Monday full of energy. Many of us feel obligated to answer emails at home when we should be able to rest, or make ourselves available for work discussions that could really wait until after the weekend, so initiatives like the Westin Weekend that aim to help us achieve a better balance are important.
“Over time this is going to affect a person’s well-being, leaving them tired and moody which in turn can affect personal relationships. It can also make us feel resentful about work and less likely to contribute when we are in the office. I tell clients to pick out a landmark a short distance from home and use that as a cutoff point, so that when you go past it, you mentally leave work behind ready to enjoy home time. If you have to work at home, limit the number of evenings you’ll do this in a week and stop working after 9pm to ensure you get a good night’s sleep.”
Westin Hotels & Resorts Transforms the Weekend
Westin Hotels & Resorts understands the growing need of consumers for more leisure and “me-time” and is tackling the “Monday blues” with the introduction of a new “Westin Weekend” experience that gives guests the opportunity to unwind, recharge and switch off from work during their weekend getaway. Westin hotels will signal the weekend has arrived through a variety of sensory cues including changes in lighting, music and décor. Hotel associates will begin the transformation experience upon guest arrival, leaving behind weekday ties and customary uniforms for a more relaxed and casual weekend look.
Each guestroom will feature the brand’s signature Heavenly Bed bathrobe placed on the bed to officially welcome guests to their weekend. Guests are encouraged to linger in bed longer with a late, 3pm Sunday check-out and extended breakfast hours all weekend. Westin Weekends are designed to inspire well-being, from a good night’s sleep in the Heavenly®Bed and energising SuperFoodsRX dining options to convenient exercise through the RunWESTIN and New Balance Gear-Lending experiences.
“Westin is committed to providing wellness in travel. With this promise, we proudly introduce a new weekend experience addressing our guests’ need for more relaxation and leisure time to unwind before the start of the working week”, said Brian Povinelli, Global Brand Leader for Westin Hotels & Resorts “We have found that having more vacation time would allow our guests to improve their personal lives and well-being. A weekend stay at Westin offers great perks such as late check-out, extended breakfast hours and instinctive programming, making it easy to plan the perfect, personalised getaway.
To inspire guests during a weekend getaway, Westin, in partnership with AFAR, recently launched WESTIN FINDS FROM AFAR, an engaging and award-winning digital destination guide that steers travellers to local favorites and must-see sights within easy reach of Westin hotels. It lets guests personalise their itinerary based on whether they are travelling as singles, couples, families or groups of friends.
Source:- Starwood Hotels
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