Burnout, hospitalisation and time away from work are all highlighted in a new study. Experts say it is not only a problem of wellbeing, but also a threat to the UK’s health and performance in business.
A survey of 2,000 UK office workers, commissioned by Resource Guru’s resource scheduling tool, found that 84% worked overtime; 68% worked weekends; and 28 % said they were experiencing burnout at their current job. Of those who have experienced burnout, have received medication and 28% of them have visited a therapist .
The Resource Guru State of Overworking Report provides a full breakdown, as well as an interactive Burnout Risk Index that highlights which demographics and regions are at the greatest risk.
The study revealed that 36 percent of office workers reported anxiety, and 16 percent reported depression due to work. 7 % of those with anxiety, depression or stress reported suicidal feelings, while 19 % said they felt emotional numbness. 49% of people are experiencing sleep problems. 16% have heart palpitations.
The findings of the study are supported by Dr Matthew Chan , Burnout Specialist Leanne Spencer, and Medical Professional and Mental Health Advocate . They warn that without urgent action in the UK, a health crisis and productivity crisis is ignored.
“The statistics are tragic but not surprising,”said Dr Matthew Chan. We know that chronic pressure and stress are significant contributors to psychological and physical illness. Burnout is a serious public health issue if this many people end up in the hospital or taking medication because of their work. .”
The consequences for companies are also severe. Burnout is reported by:
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52% of workers have taken time off from work
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36% of respondents say they have made mistakes
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35% of respondents say they have delivered work of lower quality
“I believe burnout is one of the top strategic priorities for CEOs,” states Leanne Spenser. “It directly leads to lost productivity, decreased quality of work and absenteeism.”
Three core factors that lead to burnout and overwork are identified in the research, as well as preventative measures.
1. The culture of no boundaries: 26% feel uncomfortable refusing extra tasks even if they are already overloaded.
Leanne says that we’ve “normalised pushing beyond our limits”. “Leaders must make it clear to their employees that boundaries and rest are respected.
2. High workloads without any support: While 53% of workers who are burnt out blame their workload, 44% of respondents said that their company does not use scheduling or resource management tools.
Without formally managing workloads visibility of hours is lost and overworking becomes inevitable. Leanne says that businesses can use resource planning software to help distribute workloads in an efficient way.
3. Unmanageable Deadlines: 33% of burnouts cite unrealistic deadlines, and 1 in 10 office workers have slept at their desks to meet a tight deadline.
Leanne explains how “planning realistic timelines and accounting project breaks prevents burning out.” Employers can gather data on how much time has been spent on previous projects. This will help them plan future projects and set realistic deadlines and allow for time to recover .”
Percy Stilwell , Resource Guru co-founder, explains that overwork is a problem that can be solved with better planning and culture change.
The results of the study are alarming, but they don’t have be that way. He says that time is the most precious commodity in life ,”. “That’s why we built Resource Guru to help companies manage workloads and increase productivity–leading to improved employee wellbeing and reduced burnout. Happy teams are good business .”
Resource Guru published a detailed analysis of its State Of (Over)working Study, which includes additional statistics and expert commentary. A Burnout Risk Index, which highlights the UK regions and workforce categories most at risk of burnout based on key indicators is also available.
Burnout Risk Index and State of (Over-)Working 2025 Report.
The original version of this article, Burnout among UK desk workers: One in ten burnt out UK desk workers end up in hospital, appeared first on Human Resources News.
