One in five workers have taken time off sick due to poor mental health but younger people are more likely to be affected, according to Mental Health UK.
Furthermore, the risk of burnout and relapses appear to be significant while people are less likely to talk about it.
The charity’s latest Burnout Report, which surveyed 4,502 adults of which 2,591 were workers, found 20% took time off sick due to poor mental health caused by stress, remaining level with the previous year.
However, age continues to be a factor, with double the proportion (39%) of 18-24-year-olds taking time off for the same reason.
The report provides an annual snapshot of the nation’s stress levels and how mental health is being supported in the workplace.
It showed the risk of burnout remained stubbornly high, with 91% of adults experiencing high or extreme levels of pressure and stress in the last year, the same level as in the previous two years.
Yet at the same time, it appears the discomfort around discussing stress levels in the workplace shows no signs of improvement and in fact has slightly deteriorated.
More than one in three (35%) workers said they did not feel comfortable discussing high or extreme levels of stress with a manager, an increase of 3% compared with the 2025 report.
For younger workers aged 18-24, 39% would not feel comfortable discussing stress with a manager, an increase of 5% on the previous year.
Burnout relapse
The report also indicated signs of workers being put at risk of burnout relapse and sustained work absence, with some employers failing to adequately support recovery.
One in four (27%) workers who took time off due to extreme levels of pressure or stress said they did not receive any support after they had returned to work, and only 17% had a formal return-to-work plan put in place.
Almost one in five (18%) reported that mental health was treated as a tick-box exercise at work, while just one in four (27%) workers said mental health was genuinely prioritised and supported through action and resources.
Workers also pointed to a gap between good intentions and concrete efforts, with almost one in three (29%) saying their employer raised awareness about mental health but managers lacked the time, training and resources to provide meaningful support.
Top drivers of stress among those in the workplace included a high or increased workload, experienced by 42% of workers, followed by regularly working unpaid overtime beyond contracted hours (33%), and fears around redundancy and job security (32%).
Poor sleep (59%), money worries (48%) and poor physical health (38%) were the top factors driving stress outside of work for adults in the UK.
Younger workers aged 18-24 were most likely to agree they had experienced stress due to a number of issues, including a high or increased workload (57%), regularly working unpaid overtime (47%), feeling isolated at work (45%) and fear or redundancy or job security (43%).
They also ranked as the group second most likely to report stress due to money worries (64%), marginally behind the behind 65% of those aged 25-34.
Accelerating with the handbrake on
Brian Dow, chief executive of Mental Health UK, said: “Burnout is fast becoming one of the UK’s most serious shared challenges.
“We all want a thriving economy that benefits employers and workers alike, but unless we tackle chronic workplace stress and help people perform at their best, we are effectively trying to accelerate with the handbrake on.
“This year’s report highlights continuing concerns about high levels of absence among younger workers.
“This group is facing pressures both inside and outside work, alongside an uncertain job market where AI is increasingly seen as a threat to some entry-level roles. For many, the social contract that rewarded previous generations for hard work is breaking down.“
And while young people are often seen as championing better attitudes towards mental health at work, Dow added many are staying silent about their own stress levels.
“Our workplace training team reports that young people do value regular check-ins on workload and wellbeing, when managers create the right environment for discussion,” he continues.
“As the Keep Britain Working review makes clear, employers have a vital role in helping people stay in work, but we know that managers often feel unsure about starting conversations on stress and mental health.
“If we want to see a thriving workforce, organisations must move faster in supporting managers to act early, before stress and poor mental health turns into burnout and people are pushed out of work.”
