More than a fifth (21%) of window fabricators say that they will work on Christmas Day this year due to the cost of living crisis, research has revealed. The poll commissioned by the supplier IronmongeryDirect asked workers about their festive plans. Almost a third (31%) said that they are taking less time off this Christmas than in previous years.
Almost two in five (39%) indicated that they will have to work on at least one of the Christmas or New Year bank holidays. Nearly one in five (19%) tradespeople stated that they were unable to afford as many days off as they used to.
IronmongeryDirect segmented its findings by trade (see the chart below.) While more than a quarter of carpenters indicated that they’ll need to work on Christmas Day, for window fabricators the proportion was 21%. 
The research indicated that younger workers are far more likely to work all the way through the festive season. More than a third of millennial tradespeople (35% of people aged between 25 and 34) indicated that they’ll be doing jobs on Christmas Day, just ahead of Gen Z (30% of people aged between 18 and 24).
Dominick Sandford, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect, said: “It’s been an incredibly tough couple of years for tradespeople, and the cost of living crisis is yet another challenge facing the industry and its workforce. Sadly, it’s perhaps unsurprising that so many feel unable to take much time off this Christmas, but it’s important that after such a relentless 2022, tradespeople get the break they deserve. Wherever possible, we would urge workers to push jobs back slightly and take the time to rest and be with their loved ones.”
IronmongeryDirect has partnered with a HR specialist to explain your rights if an employer asks you to work over the Christmas period. To read this expert advice, click here.
