Over a third of Irish people failed to make full use of their holiday entitlements last year, according to new research.
It represents an overall improvement on the same study last year which found 42% of workers had failed to use all their annual leave.
The findings are based on a survey of almost 2,000 workers in Ireland by FRS Recruitment.
The 2025 Annual Leave Report found that almost one in four people failed to take five days of annual leave or more last year, which represents a week's paid leave.
According to the research, men were more likely not to use all their annual leave entitlements with just over 40% of male respondents saying they had unused holidays last year, compared to less than a third of female workers.
Almost two-thirds of people said they used their annual leave for foreign travel last year, an 18% increase compared to the previous year’s figure.
The 2025 report found that fewer employers opted to offer payment in lieu of unused annual leave days last year.
Fewer workers reported that they lost their annual leave days if they went unused by year end.
Meanwhile, 59% of respondents said that they would be favour of a four-day working week, even if it impacted on their salary.
"The debate around future leave policies remains active," said Lynne McCormack, General Manager with FRS Recruitment.
"Six in ten employees would support the introduction of unlimited leave, and a similar proportion would back a four-day working week, even if it meant adjusting salaries."
"These attitudes show a workforce eager for flexibility and new ways of organising work," Ms McCormack said.
