Seventy per cent of professionals in the UK are struggling to “switch off” from work, with a quarter saying they are unable to relax or reset themselves for the next day, a new report said.
The demands of employers are making it difficult for employees to disconnect from work, a study conducted by recruitment company Robert Walters found, with 76% admitting to “checking in on emails or calls outside of work hours”.
Increasing interruptions from work are seeping into employees’ personal lives, as 67% of professionals have felt more pressure from employers to be available in the past year, the report said.
Moreover, an acceptance of “always on” workplace culture could rapidly increase cases of burnout, according to Lucy Bisset, director of Robert Walters North. This is emphasised in the comments from employees, with 35% of professionals saying they now suffer from increased stress or anxiety.
The report surveyed 1,500 white-collar workers in the UK in September.
The responsibility to reduce psychological harm and prevent burnout lies more with employers, said clinical psychologist, author, and leadership coach Mike Drayton.
“It’s the employer who is asking people to overwork often and piling work onto people,” Drayton said in a podcast interview with FM. “That’s important to remember because the moment you say, ‘Burnout is my problem’, it’s not a good thing because it’s very difficult to sort out burnout individually.”
Legislation from the UK government’s Employee Rights Bill on the right to switch off was met with contrasting views from business leaders. It aims to prevent employees from being contacted outside of their working hours.
New research from Breathe, a human resources software development company, found that 85% of UK business leaders in small- and-medium-size entities (SMEs) support the government’s proposals.
However, a survey from the Institute of Directors of 687 business leaders in March 2024 found that 58% disagreed with such an approach. Respondents raised issues such as a need for flexibility in emergency situations, time zone implications, and higher expectations for senior staff.
Naomi Dake, a wellbeing, leadership, and organisational development specialist, explained that safe work environments encourage employees to look after themselves.
“[Employees will] have things that are important to them to be well, and giving them balance and time and encouraging them to talk about that at work as well is really important,” Dake said in a recent FM podcast episode. “Encouraging people to own their own wellbeing, I think, is really important. That’s not copping out as a leader. That’s absolutely recognising that people will have a life outside of work.”
— To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Steph Brown at Stephanie.Brown@aicpa-cima.com.
