Third of desk workers sit for three or more hours without taking a break, research finds

A recent survey by workplace product supplier AJ Products has revealed that nearly a third of UK desk workers spend three or more hours at their desks without taking a break.

According to the 2024 ASICS Global State of Mind study, four hours of uninterrupted desk work leads to an 18% increase in stress levels, while two hours without a break negatively affects employees’ mental health.

The survey, conducted with a demographically representative sample of 2,015 adults, found that only 41.5% of UK workers with desk jobs take at least one break per hour.

Workers aged 25 to 34 were the least likely to follow this practice, with only 31.6% reporting regular hourly breaks.

Geographically, Cardiff had the highest percentage of workers taking hourly breaks, with 68.4% adhering to this habit.

Hybrid workers were less likely to take breaks than those working fully remotely or in-office, with only 38.8% of hybrid employees stepping away from their desks at least once an hour.

Travel agents were identified as the profession most likely to take regular breaks, with 66.7% adhering to hourly recommendations.

Other professions showed lower compliance, further underscoring the variability of desk-break habits across sectors.

Helen Beebe, managing director of AJ Products, said: “Nearly a third of workers go for three hours or more without a break, and this is a worrying statistic.”

She emphasised the importance of prioritising workplace wellbeing initiatives to mitigate the physical and mental health risks associated with prolonged static desk work.

The findings reinforced the need for employers to encourage and support regular desk breaks as part of broader health and wellbeing strategies.

Beebe added: “At AJ Products our global mission is to bring happiness at work by improving workplace wellbeing for both physical and mental health.  

“This survey has highlighted that the key to achieving a better workplace health is to have movement regularly dispersed throughout the day.  

“Frequent desk breaks are just one element of this, and probably the easiest to implement, with far reaching benefits for mental health and efficacy.”