THE CHRISTMAS PARTY HANGOVER WILL COST UK COMPANIES £790 MILLION THIS YEAR
Hungover Brits will cost bosses a staggering £790 million this Christmas according to new research out today by Travelodge. British workers predicted that their productivity will halve and on average they will spend two and half hours staring into space due to a raging hangover after their annual Christmas party.
The poll also revealed that a massive 30% of adults have called in 'sick' due to a hangover even though 34% of respondents were convinced their boss knew they were pulling a fast one.
Hungover workers should expect 'no sympathy' from colleagues as 67% of respondents confirmed they get annoyed, when a team member is off due to a self inflicted illness resulting from a 'night out'.
Worryingly 18% of respondents admitted to driving into work despite having a severe hangover and freely admitted that they could well be over the legal drink and driving limit.
Once at work, kipping is high on the agenda for 'fragile' workers as 15% of respondents admitted to a catnap at work after a 'big night out'. The top five locations for a sneaky kip were:
1. At the desk or under the desk
2. In the toilet
3. In the car
4. In a meeting
5. In the board room or stationery cupboard
For some of us, symptoms are more severe with 21% of UK adults admit to being sick in their workplace the 'morning after the night before'. Fortunately 77% made it to the toilets whilst the least fortunate were sick at:
- At their desk
- In the kitchen
- In the car park
- In a meeting
The Travelodge poll also shows what remedies Brits take to combat a hangover in the workplace. The top five cures being:
1. Painkillers
2. Going back to bed
3. Coffee
4. Full English breakfast
5. Bacon sandwich
Leigh McCarron, Travelodge Sleep Director said: "It's not just sleep that can cure the effects of a big night out, it's also what you do before and after. Always drink plenty of water before going to bed and first thing in the morning, eat a healthy breakfast."
Listed below are range of tried and tested hangover cures by celebrities:
Kylie Minogue: Favourite hangover cure - "It has to be egg sandwiches. I love them."
Dannii Minogue: "My perfect hangover cure is putting a scraping of vegemite and grated cheese on toast and then grilling it."
Cameron Diaz: "Grease is the only cure for a hangover."
Kirsty Gallagher: "If I do get a hangover I drink loads of water and eat every hour. I also take a vitamin B supplement called Berocca."
Kerry Katona: "My way of beating a hangover is simple: you cant beat good greasy fat chips with loads of salt and vinegar."
Nigella Lawson: Hangover cure is the "Prairie Oyster" which consists of an egg yolk, tabasco, worcester sauce, brandy and vinegar - you have to swallow it down in one gulp.
Marco Pierre White: "I have a late night curry after a few pints to protect against getting a terrible hangover the next day."
Dermot O'Leary: "My hangovers get worse the older I get, so the only way to get over a hangover is to stay horizontal the next day."
Will Mellor: "Take a twolitre bottle of water to bed with you and sip it throughout the night."
Musician Moby: "My hangover cure is pretty complicated. Before going to sleep, I have a Tofurky, mustard and cucumber sandwich and a glass of carrot-orange juice. In the morning I have a special juice made from bananas, ginger, carrots, oranges with spiralina and cayenne pepper."
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For further information, please contact:
Travelodge Press Office
Pressoffice@travelodge.co.uk
01844 358 703
Notes to editor:
The poll was conducted by Onepoll in November 2007 on behalf of Travelodge amongst 4500 British workers
The £790 million figure calculation is:
Average Brit wastes 2 hours 18 minutes at work the day after the Christmas party because of a hangover.
X 29,000,000 (no of UK workers) = 63,220,000 hours in total across the UK.
X £12.50
= £790,250,000
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