Women Twice as Likely to ‘Burn Out’ as Men

A recent survey of 1,000 Brits, commissioned by Employment Hero, highlights a concerning disparity in workplace burnout and stress between men and women

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on SME Today

A survey of 1,000 Brits, commissioned by Employment Hero, revealed that nearly two-thirds of women report experiencing burnout in the workplace. Among them, 18% have felt stressed at work every day for three months—double the rate compared to men.

The rates were notably lower for men, although still significant, with 56% reporting burnout and 9% indicating they’ve felt stressed at work every day for the past three months.

Despite experiencing higher levels of stress and burnout, women are disproportionately impacted by the cost of living. Nearly half of women report not meeting their financial goals, almost twice as many as men.

Clair Flynn, Employment Hero UK HR Lead, says, “It’s concerning that many employees across the board face burnout and financial insecurity. Clearly, there’s a need for increased support. We hope this report highlights the current market conditions and offers valuable insights for employers and employees to foster positive change and improved outcomes for everyone.”

Work life balance barriers

Half of women and nearly half of men agree that remote and flexible work options are the top non-salary perk that would attract them to a company. In the UK, over half of men (59%) report being satisfied with their overall mental health, compared to fewer women. Men also feel more productive, have more time to relax, and can devote more time to their hobbies and interests compared to women.

Clair says, “Often, women are the primary caregivers, and it can feel like they’re ‘on’ seven days a week with little to no time to decompress.”

More support is needed

The data reveals that women are less comfortable than men discussing professional stress and burnout with their managers. Additionally, women are less inclined to provide feedback about the workplace to management or HR compared to their male counterparts.

Clair says, “It’s disheartening that less than half of employees are comfortable speaking with their management or HR teams. Open and direct lines of communication are the first step in understanding and addressing issues in the workplace.”

“However, sometimes this can be easier said than done. When mounting pressure comes from all areas of life, reaching out to your manager can feel like an impossible task – especially if the concerns are particularly personal.” 

“While setting up monthly check-ins is a step in the right direction, they can sometimes become routine and fail to address deeper issues. We are all unique, so we can’t take a one-size-fits-all approach to communication.”