Close to a third (30%) of Danish employees say that they continue to check emails or carry out work while on holiday, a new study by Nordic insurer Gjensidige, undertaken by YouGov, has revealed.
According to the study, 22% of respondents say that they typically check their work email while on vacation, while 8% actually do some work.
At the same time, however, around two fifths (39%) said that they do not check work emails or work during their holidays. A further 10% said they do not have a job requiring work email, while 25% of respondents said that they were not currently employed.
“A vacation is not just about having a day off on the calendar,” commented Mette Glad, head of health at Gjensidige. “It’s about giving both the body and the brain the opportunity to recover from everyday work and the tasks, responsibilities and demands that you normally have.
“If you are constantly mentally at work, you don’t get the break that a vacation is actually for.”
Checking in
The study also explored the reasons why Danes like to stay connected to work while on holiday – with two thirds (65%) saying that checking in on work gave them peace of mind. Over a third (37%) said they felt responsible for ongoing projects, while 19% wanted to remain available to support colleagues or customers.
Elsewhere, 11% said that they felt that their employer expected them to remain ‘available’ during their holiday, while 14% said that their role required them to be ‘on call’.
Investment in health
“It might be a good idea to have expectations aligned with your employer before the holiday season,” Glad added. “Who will be responsible for the tasks? When is it okay to contact me, and when is it not? When the framework is set, it is much easier to give yourself permission to take time off.
“Vacation is one of the best investments you can make in your health, well-being and your ability to work. You will be the best version of yourself if you return to work well-rested.”
The survey was conducted by YouGov on behalf of Gjensidige during June 2026 and included responses from 1,030 people in Denmark. Read more here.
