Four out of five workers in Ireland do not avail of their full annual holiday entitlements, according to new research from the Cpl Employment Market Monitor.

This is despite the fact that the country has the second-lowest average leave allowance in Europe.

Cpl Resources director Peter Cosgrave said that, while it highlighted the dedication of employees in Ireland, it poses a question for employers:

"With so much research indicating the benefit of time away from the office, should employers be doing more to ensure that employees are well rested?"

A recent Expedia survey of 31 million Brits showed that 81% of people felt better after a taking a holiday.

Dr Linda Papadopoulos, who assisted with the Expedia study, said:

"One of the best things about holidays is that by coming out of your routine you don't have to worry about 'must dos' and can have new experiences on your terms.

"You're free to do as much or a little as you like, which in turn makes you feel more relaxed. This can help reduce the levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which when significantly elevated in the body can have a negative impact on organs such as the skin.

"As stress and anxiety decreases, mood increases – bringing many, often unexpected, positive benefits in how we perceive ourselves, motivation and productivity, and our general outlook on life".

Elsewhere in the Cpl report, 60% of employers said new paternity leave measures aren't good enough.

They also believe the market is shifting in favour of jobseekers and email was named the biggest workplace distraction.