As we head into the long Bank Holiday weekend – the first of two in May (whoop!) – we’re sharing some insights here from Adrian Firth, Employee Benefits Consultant at Mattioli Woods…
Every year on the first Monday of May, Britain takes a collective breath. Roads quieten, offices empty, and for the day, the relentless pace of working life gives way to something older and more fundamental: the right to rest.
The Early May Bank Holiday is far more than a convenient long weekend. It carries with it centuries of British history, and a message that remains as relevant today as ever.
A holiday hard won
The first Monday of May falls within a period the British Isles have marked as significant for thousands of years. Long before it became associated with workers’ rights, the arrival of May was celebrated through Beltane, a Celtic festival of bonfires, maypoles, and communal rest, observed across England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.
That instinct was sorely tested by Britain’s Industrial Revolution, when twelve to sixteen-hour days became routine across the mills of Manchester, the mines of South Wales, and the dockyards of London and Glasgow. The Trades Union Congress, founded in 1868, became the organised voice of a workforce demanding not just fair pay, but fair hours.
In 1890, thousands gathered in Hyde Park to demand an eight-hour working day – one of the largest public gatherings London had ever seen. The Early May Bank Holiday was finally enshrined in law by the Callaghan Government in 1978, formally recognising the first Monday in May as a statutory day of rest.
Are we honouring it?
The irony is that generations of British workers fought hard for the legal right to time off, and yet many of us voluntarily hand it back. Millions of UK employees fail to use their full annual leave each year, while presenteeism costs British businesses an estimated £24 billion annually, according to Deloitte.
The science is unambiguous: regular rest improves productivity, protects mental health, strengthens relationships, and reduces long-term sickness absence. The always-on culture, amplified by smartphones and hybrid working, has eroded boundaries in ways previous generations could never have imagined.
The employer’s role
For those of us in employee benefits and wellbeing, the Early May Bank Holiday is a timely reminder. Organisations that genuinely encourage rest, modelling healthy boundaries at leadership levels and building cultures where switching off is valued, consistently see lower absenteeism, stronger engagement, and more resilient teams.
Many employers are taking the opportunity to underline their commitment to employee wellbeing, with webinars, seminars, spring challenges or just a message to all staff to take time away from work to recharge.
Five steps every employer can take to support their employees
1. Actively encourage employees to use their full leave entitlement. Many employees need explicit permission from leadership to disconnect. A culture where unused leave is quietly celebrated is one where burnout quietly thrives.
2. Lead from the top. If senior leaders are sending emails at 10pm and skipping holiday, no wellbeing policy will compensate. Visible, consistent behaviour from management sets the standard.
3. Review your Employee Assistance Programme. An EAP is one of the most cost-effective benefits an employer can offer. If you have one, make sure employees know about it and feel comfortable using it.
4. Build rest into your benefits strategy, not just your policy. Flexible working, mental health days, and enhanced leave provisions signal that rest is genuinely valued. The most competitive employers are moving beyond statutory minimums.
5. Have the conversation. Line managers should feel equipped to talk openly about workload and stress. Regular check-ins that go beyond task management can catch burnout before it takes hold.
While the language has changed – we no longer talk of labour fatigue, we talk of burnout – the underlying truth is the same: overworked people cannot perform, cannot thrive, and eventually cannot continue.
This May Bank Holiday, take the day. You’ve earned it.
