The State of (Over)working 2025
Resource Guru’s research reveals the extent of the UK’s overworking and burnout issues, using survey data from 2,000 desk workers, alongside expert insights.
Burnout Risk Index
Our Burnout Risk Index, developed with burnout expert Leanne Spencer, reveals 10 red flags which could indicate that you or a team member is on the way to burning out at work.
Who's most at risk of burnout? Dive into the data using our interactive tool
02
Highlight results for…
- East Midlands
- East of England
- London
- North East
- North West
- Northern Ireland
- Scotland
- South East
- South West
- Wales
- West Midlands
- Yorkshire and the Humber
02
Highlight results for…
- 18 to 24
- 25 to 34
- 35 to 44
- 45 to 54
- 55 to 64
- 65 and over
02
Highlight results for…
- Male
- Female
02
Highlight results for…
- Full time in office
- Full time remote
- Hybrid
02
Highlight results for…
- Agency
- In-house
03
Burnout risk for region
% - % Higher or lower than UK average
Scroll →
| Burnout rank (Most at risk → least at risk) |
Burnout risk factors 1-10 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % who work overtime | % who work weekends | % who have worked during annual leave to meet a deadline | % who have skipped exercise to meet a deadline | % who have skipped sleep to meet a deadline | % who have experienced stress due to work | % who missed a medical appointment to meet deadline | % who feel uncomfortable saying no to additional work, even at capacity | % who have experienced depression due to work | % who say their company doesn't do anything to support mental health | |
1 South West |
86% 2% |
64% 4% |
27% 1% |
35% 5% |
27% 2% |
61% 7% |
8% 1% |
32% 6% |
22% 6% |
24% 1% |
2 London |
95% 11% |
86% 18% |
31% 5% |
35% 5% |
39% 14% |
61% 7% |
10% 3% |
19% 7% |
11% 5% |
14% 11% |
3 South East |
84% - |
69% 1% |
25% 1% |
31% 1% |
19% 6% |
56% 2% |
9% 2% |
30% 4% |
20% 4% |
33% 8% |
4 Yorkshire and the Humber |
84% - |
65% 3% |
29% 3% |
34% 4% |
19% 6% |
55% 1% |
5% 2% |
28% 2% |
16% - |
34% 9% |
5 Scotland |
84% - |
64% 4% |
26% - |
29% 1% |
26% 1% |
54% - |
10% 3% |
28% 2% |
19% 3% |
18% 7% |
6 West Midlands |
77% 7% |
65% 3% |
27% 1% |
28% 2% |
23% 2% |
50% 4% |
6% 1% |
30% 4% |
19% 3% |
29% 4% |
7 Northern Ireland |
70% 14% |
68% - |
27% 1% |
24% 6% |
24% 1% |
41% 13% |
5% 2% |
32% 6% |
24% 8% |
26% 1% |
8 Wales |
80% 4% |
61% 7% |
26% - |
33% 3% |
15% 10% |
51% 3% |
5% 2% |
29% 3% |
22% 6% |
35% 10% |
9 North West |
79% 5% |
61% 7% |
25% 1% |
27% 3% |
23% 2% |
59% 5% |
7% - |
25% 1% |
16% - |
26% 1% |
10 East Midlands |
79% 5% |
54% 14% |
19% 7% |
23% 7% |
16% 9% |
33% 21% |
2% 5% |
33% 7% |
11% 5% |
33% 8% |
11 East of England |
81% 3% |
60% 8% |
22% 4% |
23% 7% |
22% 3% |
49% 5% |
3% 4% |
23% 3% |
13% 3% |
22% 3% |
12 North East |
75% 9% |
53% 15% |
19% 7% |
20% 10% |
19% 6% |
47% 7% |
3% 4% |
25% 1% |
5% 11% |
32% 7% |
| UK average | 84% | 68% | 26% | 30% | 25% | 54% | 7% | 26% | 16% | 25% |
East Midlands
East Midlands ranks 10th, so desk workers here are less at risk of reaching burnout.
“This index can be used by employers and employees in the East Midlands to proactively prevent burnout in the workplace. Knowing these facts helps leadership address problems early—boosting retention and morale. After all, happier, healthier staff are more productive.”
– East Midlands based Occupational Therapist, Alexandra Lawrence
East of England
The East of England ranks 11th, so desk workers here are less at risk of reaching burnout.
“Employers should care about this index because burnout has far-reaching consequences for both employees and businesses. High levels of burnout can lead to increased absenteeism, higher turnover rates, lower productivity, and poor employee engagement, all of which have a direct financial impact. By addressing burnout proactively, businesses can improve employee retention, create a more productive workforce, and enhance organisational culture.”
– East of England based Occupational Therapist, Lucinda Pollard
London
Desk workers based in London are the 2nd most at risk of reaching burnout.
“Londoners have normalised an overworking culture, which is causing a burnout epidemic that costs businesses through absenteeism, staff turnover, and lost productivity. Employers here can’t afford to ignore it.”
– London-based occupational therapist Janet Winter
North East
The North East ranks 12th, so desk workers here are the least at risk of reaching burnout in the UK.
“Employers in the North East should use this index to audit their own culture, compare it to the regional norm, and actively involve employees in co-designing proactive solutions. This can help reduce burnout, the impact of stress, keep people well at work—ultimately improving productivity for businesses.”
– North East based Occupational Therapist, Lucy Leonard
North West
The North West ranks 9th, so desk workers here are less at risk of reaching burnout.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ranks 7th, so desk workers here are less at risk of reaching burnout.
Scotland
Desk workers in Scotland are the 5th most at risk of reaching burnout.
“Organisations in Scotland should care about this index not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it makes business sense. The data is clear: people work smarter, more creatively, and more sustainably when they’re not overworked. Used proactively, the index can highlight pressure points and guide meaningful change—boosting wellbeing, retention, and long-term performance.”
– Scotland-based occupational therapist Laura Bremner
South East
Desk workers in the South East are 3rd most at risk of reaching burnout.
South West
The South West ranks 1st, so desk workers here are the most at risk of reaching burnout in the UK.
Wales
Wales ranks 8th, so desk workers here are less at risk of reaching burnout.
West Midlands
Desk workers in the West Midlands are 6th most at risk of reaching burnout.
Yorkshire and the Humber
Desk workers based in Yorkshire are the 4th most at risk of reaching burnout.
03
Burnout risk for age
% - % Higher or lower than UK average
Scroll →
| Burnout rank (Most at risk → least at risk) |
Burnout risk factors 1-10 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % who work overtime | % who work weekends | % who have worked during annual leave to meet a deadline | % who have skipped exercise to meet a deadline | % who have skipped sleep to meet a deadline | % who have experienced stress due to work | % who missed a medical appointment to meet deadline | % who feel uncomfortable saying no to additional work, even at capacity | % who have experienced depression due to work | % who say their company doesn't do anything to support mental health | |
1 18 to 24 |
93% 9% |
88% 20% |
24% 2% |
45% 15% |
51% 26% |
61% 7% |
10% 3% |
11% 15% |
17% 1% |
23% 2% |
2 25 to 34 |
91% 7% |
78% 10% |
29% 3% |
39% 9% |
37% 12% |
65% 11% |
10% 3% |
21% 5% |
16% - |
14% 11% |
3 35 to 44 |
87% 3% |
71% 3% |
29% 3% |
32% 2% |
25% - |
55% 1% |
9% 2% |
29% 3% |
19% 3% |
22% 3% |
4 45 to 54 |
82% 2% |
60% 8% |
24% 2% |
27% 3% |
16% 9% |
48% 6% |
5% 2% |
32% 6% |
18% 2% |
33% 8% |
5 55 to 64 |
74% 10% |
55% 13% |
21% 5% |
18% 12% |
13% 12% |
46% 8% |
4% 3% |
31% 5% |
13% 3% |
36% 11% |
6 65 and over |
65% 19% |
54% 14% |
18% 8% |
9% 21% |
6% 19% |
32% 22% |
2% 5% |
21% 5% |
3% 13% |
43% 18% |
| UK average | 84% | 68% | 26% | 30% | 25% | 54% | 7% | 26% | 16% | 25% |
18 to 24
Desk workers aged 18 to 24 rank 1st, and are the age group most at risk of reaching burnout in the UK.
25 to 34
Desk workers aged 25 to 34 are 2nd most at risk of reaching burnout.
35 to 44
Desk workers aged 35 to 44 are 3rd most at risk of reaching burnout.
45 to 54
Desk workers aged 45 to 54 rank 4th, and are less at risk of burning out.
55 to 64
Desk workers aged 55 to 64 rank 5th, and are less at risk of burning out.
65 and over
Desk workers aged 65+ rank 6th, and are therefore the least at risk of burning out.
03
Burnout risk for male or female
% - % Higher or lower than UK average
Scroll →
| Burnout rank (Most at risk → least at risk) |
Burnout risk factors 1-10 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % who work overtime | % who work weekends | % who have worked during annual leave to meet a deadline | % who have skipped exercise to meet a deadline | % who have skipped sleep to meet a deadline | % who have experienced stress due to work | % who missed a medical appointment to meet deadline | % who feel uncomfortable saying no to additional work, even at capacity | % who have experienced depression due to work | % who say their company doesn't do anything to support mental health | |
1 Male |
87% 3% |
77% 9% |
27% 1% |
32% 2% |
28% 3% |
55% 1% |
9% 2% |
21% 5% |
17% 1% |
21% 4% |
2 Female |
82% 2% |
59% 9% |
26% - |
28% 2% |
22% 3% |
53% 1% |
6% 1% |
31% 5% |
15% 1% |
28% 3% |
| UK average | 84% | 68% | 26% | 30% | 25% | 54% | 7% | 26% | 16% | 25% |
Male
Men are more at risk of burnout than women, based on these risk factors.
Female
Women are less at risk of burnout than men, based on these risk factors.
03
Burnout risk for work arrangement
% - % Higher or lower than UK average
Scroll →
| Burnout rank (Most at risk → least at risk) |
Burnout risk factors 1-10 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % who work overtime | % who work weekends | % who have worked during annual leave to meet a deadline | % who have skipped exercise to meet a deadline | % who have skipped sleep to meet a deadline | % who have experienced stress due to work | % who missed a medical appointment to meet deadline | % who feel uncomfortable saying no to additional work, even at capacity | % who have experienced depression due to work | % who say their company doesn't do anything to support mental health | |
1 Hybrid |
87% 3% |
70% 2% |
29% 3% |
34% 4% |
26% 1% |
57% 3% |
8% 1% |
28% 2% |
17% 1% |
21% 4% |
2 Full time in office |
85% 1% |
69% 1% |
24% 2% |
26% 4% |
27% 2% |
52% 2% |
8% 1% |
23% 3% |
15% 1% |
27% 2% |
3 Full time remote |
67% 17% |
60% 8% |
19% 7% |
22% 8% |
19% 6% |
46% 8% |
2% 5% |
25% 1% |
14% 2% |
36% 11% |
| UK average | 84% | 68% | 26% | 30% | 25% | 54% | 7% | 26% | 16% | 25% |
Full time in office
Desk workers who are based in an office full time rank 2nd in the Burnout Risk Index.
Full time remote
Desk workers who work from home full time rank 3rd, and are therefore the least at risk of burnout.
Hybrid
Desk workers who work a mix of at home and in an office rank 1st, suggesting they are most at risk of burnout.
03
Burnout risk for agency vs in-house
% - % Higher or lower than UK average
Scroll →
| Burnout rank (Most at risk → least at risk) |
Burnout risk factors 1-10 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % who work overtime | % who work weekends | % who have worked during annual leave to meet a deadline | % who have skipped exercise to meet a deadline | % who have skipped sleep to meet a deadline | % who have experienced stress due to work | % who missed a medical appointment to meet deadline | % who feel uncomfortable saying no to additional work, even at capacity | % who have experienced depression due to work | % who say their company doesn't do anything to support mental health | |
1 Agency |
95% 11% |
88% 20% |
29% 3% |
39% 9% |
40% 15% |
60% 6% |
15% 8% |
14% 12% |
23% 7% |
13% 12% |
2 In-house |
83% 1% |
62% 6% |
26% - |
28% 2% |
21% 4% |
53% 1% |
6% 1% |
29% 3% |
14% 2% |
27% 2% |
| UK average | 84% | 68% | 26% | 30% | 25% | 54% | 7% | 26% | 16% | 25% |
Agency
Desk workers who work at an agency that services clients (agency-side) rank 1st, and are much more likely to burnout than those working in-house.
In-house
Desk workers who work directly for an organisation (in-house) rank 2nd and are much less likely to burnout than those working agency-side.
Navigating the Burnout Risk Index
The Burnout Risk Index is part of Resource Guru’s State of (Over)working study. Using data from a survey of 2,000 UK desk workers, we worked with burnout expert Leanne Spencer to explore different pain points and identify 10 major burnout risk factors from these.
- Select a demographic/firmographic “group”
- Choose from region, age, male/female, work arrangement, or agency vs in-house
- Your choice may be based on your personal criteria, or the the characteristics of someone you work with
- Select a “sub-group”
- For example, London or Female
- The index will then reveal:
- The 10 burnout risk factors themselves
- How many desk workers in each sub-group reported each of the risk factors, with your selected sub-group highlighted
- A ranking* to show who is most to least at risk of burnout (1 being the most)
- Compare with the UK averages for each risk factor
- Check the bottom row of the index for national averages
The burnout risk factors explained
Although many pain points associated with overworking can lead to burnout, Leanne highlighted these 10 red flags. They’re closely tied to a build up of stress and a lack of recovery—two overarching causes of burnout.
- Working overtime
- Working weekends
- Working during annual leave to meet a deadline
- Skipping exercise to meet a deadline
- Skipping sleep to meet a deadline
- Experiencing stress due to work
- Missing a medical appointment to meet a deadline
- Feeling uncomfortable saying no to additional work, even at capacity
- Experiencing depression due to work
- Company not supporting mental health
“There’s two ways you could look at burnout in the workplace.
An individual could be overworking, which can lead to chronic stress and ultimately, burnout.
The other perspective is that they suffer from a lack of recovery. Without proper recovery, the body struggles to reset its stress levels, leading to ongoing fatigue, impaired thinking, and emotional exhaustion.”
There are other risk factors that were flagged by Leanne from the survey data, including (but not limited to):
- Average hours worked a week
- Skipping meals to meet a deadline
- Missing/cancelling personal plans to meet a deadline
- Overusing stimulants (e.g., coffee, energy drinks)
- Working during a social event/in a social setting to meet a deadline
- Sleeping in the office to meet a deadline
- Experiencing guilt for leaving work on time
- Experiencing work-related anxiety
- Not using any resource management software
- Not using any timesheets software
To find out more about how these risk factors can lead to burnout, what employers can do to help prevent overworking, and for more expert insights, read our State of (Over)working online report.
The State of (Over)working 2025
Our latest research explores the extent of the UK’s overworking & burnout crisis
*Ranking calculations:
- For each risk factor (e.g. working overtime), the “sub-groups” (e.g. London) were individually scored based on the survey percentages
- The lowest score will always be 1. The highest score is the total number of sub-groups
- E.g. there are 12 regions, so highest % = scored 12, lowest % = scored 1 (London was scored 12 for “% who worked overtime” as it had the highest percentage (95%) out of all 12 regions)
- E.g. there are 6 age groups, so highest % = scored 6, lowest % = scored 1
- Each risk factor score was evenly weighted
- The lowest score will always be 1. The highest score is the total number of sub-groups
- A total burnout risk score was then given for each “sub-group”, by totalling the individual scores for each of the 10 risk factors
- E.g. the region of London scored 89 (12 + 12 + 12 + 12 + 12 + 12 + 12 + 1 + 3 + 1 = 89)
- The overall ranking used in the index was based on the total scores
- 1 = highest total score (most at risk of burning out)
- E.g. London had a total score of 89, this was the second highest score, so it ranks 2nd overall
Methodology & notes:
This online survey of 2,000 UK desk workers was commissioned by Resource Guru and conducted by market research company OnePoll, in accordance with the Market Research Society’s code of conduct. Data was collected between [07/02/2025] and [19/02/2025]. All participants are double-opted in to take part in research and are paid an amount depending on the length and complexity of the survey. This survey was overseen and edited by the OnePoll research team. OnePoll are MRS Company Partners, corporate membership of ESOMAR and Members of the British Polling Council. Respondents were screened to confirm they worked primarily at a desk in an office or home setting. The sample included a mix of respondents across age groups, genders, industries/job roles, and 12 UK regions. Not all regions and demographics had equal response rates. Northern Ireland and the North East had lower response rates (under 80). Expert commentary was gathered after the survey was completed, based on a summary of the key findings. UK averages are taken from the original data (accounting for different number of respondents in each demographic). This is not an exhaustive list of burnout risk factors.
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