Majority of UK workers are unable to ‘switch off’

A new survey has revealed that as many as 70% of UK employees say they struggle to ‘switch off’ from work.

With 29% of UK professionals admitting to losing sleep due to work, it’s thought that the ‘always available’ culture in the workplace is putting too much pressure on workers.

The Robert Walters survey also found that 76% of professionals check in on work-related emails or calls during out-of-office hours and a further fifth said that their employer ‘frequently’ contacts them when they’re not at work.

Lucy Bisset, Director of Robert Walters North, said, “Not being able to fully ‘switch off’ from work can result in a variety of negative side effects for professionals. From diminished concentration and motivation to their productivity and engagement levels dropping off.

“All professionals should feel able to relax and unwind outside of work – without the concern of having to pick up work-related tasks.”

Lucy added, “Missing out on hours of sleep, being unable to fully relax as well as experiencing increased stress or anxiety can pose a huge threat to professional’s ability to work, even carrying out regular tasks and activities. Not to mention, maintaining a satisfactory work-life balance.”

“Over recent years the boom of workplace tech like Teams and Slack has meant that teams can be more easily tracked and contacted by their managers, whilst the rise of hybrid/remote working has caused professionals to literally bring work home with them.

“An ‘always online’ workplace culture contributes to the blurring of lines between office hours and personal time as well as an increasingly unrealistic expectation for greater availability. This is something that if left unchecked can rapidly lead to increased cases of burnout across workforces.”

To find out more about contracting please contact Sophie on 01206 591 000 or email sophie.lewis@contractoumbrella.com.