A fifth of UK employees have avoided or delayed a GP appointment in the past year because they were too busy with work, according to research from Bupa and YuLife.
The research found 21% of UK employees had skipped or postponed a GP appointment in the past year due to work demands.
The trend was even more acute among younger workers, with 27% of 18–34-year-olds admitting to delaying mental health support such as counselling or therapy, compared with just 12% of over-55s.
The HealthTech at Work report is based on YouGov data from over 5,000 UK SME employees, sheds light on how rising workload pressures are fuelling a quiet crisis in preventative health, as workers put productivity ahead of wellbeing.
Londoners were the most likely to forgo medical appointments due to workload, while employees in Wales were the least affected, potentially suggesting both regional and cultural differences in attitudes to health and work.
The data also showed 46% of employees had cut back on exercise or gym visits due to workload.
More than three in 10 (32%) reported poorer eating habits, including skipped meals or reliance on convenience food.
And one in five admitted to delaying other forms of healthcare, such as dental or optical check-ups.
But the report also revealed that employees’ workloads were also affecting their mental wellbeing.
Nearly one in three (29%) reported experiencing severe anxiety, depression, or panic attacks in the past year due to workplace pressures.
Sammy Rubin, founder of YuLife, (pictured) said: “This is the hidden cost of busyness.
“When people are too busy to see a doctor or take care of themselves, everyone loses: individuals, employers, and the health system.
“The data shows that work-life imbalance is quietly eroding preventative health. We need to make wellbeing part of working life, not something squeezed in after hours.”