UK workers are driving themselves to the brink of burnout as research has revealed almost two fifths respond to work messages when off sick and even more reply to work demands during annual leave.
The study, from provider BHN Extras, found that 39 percent of employees work from their sick bed, and 48 percent respond to emails or messages while on holiday.
On top of this respondents reported that it was also now normal for people to regularly check in with work after hours.
However, the vast majority (84 percent) of HR leaders said they promote and encourage employees to disconnect when off the clock. But only 45 percent reported having formal guidelines to support this. Researchers said this reveals a “significant disconnect” between HR leaders’ perceptions of work/life balance and employees’ realities.
People feel “caught in a state of constant connection, where the boundaries between work and personal life are significantly blurred”, researchers said.
C-suite leaders were among the most likely to blur work/life boundaries, with 55 percent of CEOs checking emails daily outside of work hours.
Researchers said this behaviour is being imitated further down the organisation as 42 percent of junior managers said they also regularly check emails outside work hours.
The findings suggest that “the expectation to stay connected, enabled by the plethora of work related apps on mobiles, is becoming embedded at every level”, researchers warned.
This is supported by the finding that 80 percent of employees report their worklife balance has not significantly improved in the past five years.
Interestingly, 76 percent of c-suite leaders said they are experiencing less burnout symptoms, however the same is true for only 25 percent of junior staff. This highlights a growing gap in how support is delivered, and who actually benefits, researchers said.
Remote and office-based employees appear to be affected to the same extent, with 38 percent of the former and 35 percent of the latter reporting improvements in their work/life balance.
The study did find differences between industries, with 68 percent of workers in IT reporting positive progress on reducing burnout, while only 23 percent in law and professional services said the same. Researchers said these disparities point to a deeper issue of systemic gaps in expectations and culture for specific roles.
As the ‘always on’ culture has ramped up, it has affected social connections at work. Nearly half of employees (46 percent) said they rarely or never socialise with colleagues after hours because they prefer personal time. Financial pressure is another issue. Almost a quarter (24 percent) of women said cost is the main reason for skipping post-work socialising, compared to 18 percent of men.
Flexible working remains a valued benefit used regularly by 39 percent of employees, but researchers said this alone is no longer enough.
Nearly two thirds (63 percent) of employees want access to a broader and more personalised range of workplace benefits. Demand is higher (66 percent) among Gen Z, compared to just 40 percent of baby boomers. This highlights “a generational shift” in expectations around wellbeing and financial support, researchers said.
Chris Ronald, VP – incentives, rewards and benefits at BHN, said: “Our research shows that the UK workforce is in desperate need for more support from their employers. Boundaries are breaking down, burnout is not being tackled, and traditional benefits no longer meet the needs of today’s employees.
“What’s even more concerning is that the data likely underrepresents the full picture. We asked about actively responding to work messages on holiday, but how many more are still checking in, skim-reading emails, or staying mentally tethered to their inbox? The inability to fully switch off is becoming the norm. [When you] overlay this with the on-going financial pressure on UK household budgets, the goal of creating a happy, healthy and productive workforce is bleak.”
Ronald added: “Flexibility and choice for voluntary benefits is just the starting point, it must be supported by personalisation, inclusivity, and a holistic look at mental, physical and financial wellbeing strategies to meet expectations and needs.
“Gen Z is already demanding more tailored, meaningful support, and if businesses don’t adapt, they’ll face growing disengagement across their teams.”
The study is based on two surveys, the first with 2,000 employees and a second with 175 HR decision makers. Both surveyed groups work in companies with less than 500 employees.
