Marvin OnumonuEmployment Hero has released its first yearly report, Employment Uncovered, which found workers in 2025 took an average of 19 days of annual leave, with 49% of sick days for mental or emotional exhaustion.
Data showed that 44% of staff felt pressure to work during their time off and 39% said they took sick days because they felt overwhelmed.
28% took at least one sick day when they weren’t physically unwell, and 17% took more than one.
Younger workers were more likely to use sick days for stress, while older workers tended to use them for personal errands.
December was named “Survival Season” and was described as the most stressful month of the year.
Despite this, 69% of workers said they still enjoyed their job.
Kevin Fitzgerald, UK managing director at Employment Hero, said: “2025 has been one of the toughest years workers have faced in a long time.
“People are juggling higher costs, fewer opportunities and intense pressure to stay switched on – and our data shows the toll that’s taking.
“When nearly half the workforce feels the need to check emails on annual leave or use sick days as an excuse to actually switch off, it’s clear something needs to change.”
Fitzgerald added: “But this research also reveals something I think is uniquely British: even in a difficult year, most people still enjoyed their jobs.
“They showed up, worked hard and found pride in what they do. Employment Uncovered is about recognising that resilience – and helping businesses support their teams better in 2026.”
