One in two employees will suffer a fall in job performance in the coming weeks after the last Bank Holiday until Christmas Day, according to research from YouGov and business adviser Croner.

The study found that 39% of employees want an extra bank holiday between August 29 and Christmas, however 34% would prefer flexible working all year round, and 17% voted for an extra day of annual leave whenever they choose.

Richard Smith, employment services director at Croner, says: “To improve productivity the most, the majority of employees prefer the option to work flexibly all year round. This sends a clear message to employers that, by introducing a flexible working policy for all staff, they could experience real commercial gains.”