Balancing work and home responsibilities has overtaken financial concerns as the leading cause of stress among UK employees, according to new research.
A study by productivity and performance coaching provider Avilio found that maintaining a healthy work-life balance is now a bigger source of pressure for workers than their personal finances, family income, job security or the wider economic outlook.
Avilio, which helps organisations improve performance and wellbeing, commissioned an independent national survey of 1,261 UK employees to explore the causes of stress and burnout. Nearly one in three respondents, or 32 percent, identified work-life balance as their biggest contributor to stress.
By comparison, 23 percent cited their own financial situation, 22 percent mentioned their family’s financial outlook, and 21 percent pointed to both the domestic economy and an inability to complete everything they wanted to in a day. Nineteen percent named the global economic situation, while 18 percent said job security was their main stressor.
Workload Pressure and Rising Burnout
The data suggests workers are grappling with increasingly complex sources of strain. Alongside financial and workload concerns, 16 percent said simply looking at their to-do list contributed to stress, while 14 percent cited not having time to complete work to their preferred standard or to meet employer expectations. Ten percent reported anxiety about the impact of artificial intelligence on their job or sector.
The research also revealed that more than a third of employees, or 36 percent, experienced burnout within the past year. Burnout is defined as an extreme and persistent form of stress that leads to physical, mental and emotional exhaustion.
The findings reveal a picture of employees caught between high workloads and limited downtime, with technology and hybrid working blurring the lines between personal and professional life. Observers say that even as financial pressures continue, the strain of managing competing demands has become a defining wellbeing issue in today’s workplace.
Balancing Work and Home Remains The Hardest Task
Philippe Masson, chief executive officer of Avilio, said the results defied assumptions about the impact of the economic climate on workplace stress. He said that although financial insecurity remained widespread, it was the constant balancing act between work and personal life that is keeping many workers awake at night.
“In an uncertain economic climate and a sustained cost of living crisis, you might expect finances to be the most significant cause of stress,” he said. “Yet our research shows that even in this context, managing a good work/life balance is still keeping people up at night.”
He noted that many employers had expanded financial wellbeing initiatives in recent years, but warned that wellbeing strategies must now look beyond economic factors.
“Many organisations have – for obvious reasons – prioritised financial wellbeing schemes in recent years. However, this research serves as a useful reminder that wellbeing must be seen holistically.
“Policies such as flexible and hybrid working, and continued open dialogues about the balance of responsibilities at work and at home can go a long way to boosting worker satisfaction, productivity, engagement and loyalty – all of which have a direct impact on company ROI.”
Rethinking Wellbeing Strategy
Experts in organisational wellbeing have long argued that wellbeing programmes are most effective when they address both the structural and cultural barriers that prevent employees from switching off. Flexible working, realistic workload management and clear communication about expectations are frequently identified as key interventions.
The findings suggest that financial support alone cannot solve the deeper wellbeing challenges created by overwork and lack of recovery time. The issue is particularly relevant as many employers have brought staff back to the office more frequently while maintaining high performance demands.
A growing body of research indicates that failure to manage work-life balance not only increases stress but also undermines productivity and retention. Employees who report poor balance are more likely to take sick leave, experience disengagement or consider leaving their roles.
An Urgent Issue for Employers
Observers say that the persistence of work-life imbalance as a top stress factor points to a need for cultural change. Encouraging staff to take breaks, limiting out-of-hours communication and equipping managers to identify early signs of overload are among the measures organisations can adopt.
For employers, the findings also serve as a reminder that wellbeing should be viewed as a long-term investment. When employees feel unable to separate work from personal life, the resulting burnout can have lasting effects on performance, health and team morale.
As the UK continues to face financial uncertainty and high living costs, the research suggests that maintaining balance remains the greater challenge. For many workers, it is not the size of their pay packet but the pressure to manage everything at once that defines their daily stress.