New research from HiBob, the HR platform transforming how organisations operate in the modern world of work and helping businesses adapt in the age of AI, reveals the always-on culture is a symptom of a deeper workforce transformation challenge. Most workers (58%) say pressure in their role has increased compared to two years ago, while nearly half (49%) feel expected to always be available. More than a third (36%) regularly work late, and 37% say they would accept lower pay in exchange for a less stressful job.
58% of UK workers say workplace pressure has increased compared to two years ago.
49% feel expected to always be available for work.
42% actively consider leaving their job due to workplace pressure.
47% feel mentally exhausted at the end of most working days.
76% of managers say pressure on their team has increased.
54% of managers struggle to balance performance expectations with employee wellbeing.
The research suggests workers are finding it harder than ever to properly switch off. More than a quarter (27%) say failing to respond to messages outside working hours would harm their career, while nearly half (49%) feel there is an expectation to always be available for work. More than two in five (42%) admit checking work messages in the middle of conversations, while 41% do so in the bathroom and 29% while on a date. Almost half (47%) say there is no longer a clear quiet period at work, while over half (51%) say they now have less time to recover between busy periods than they used to.
The impact is increasingly affecting workers' long-term wellbeing. Nearly half (47%) say they feel mentally exhausted at the end of most working days, while 41% say work negatively affects their ability to sleep. A third (33%) believe their current job is unsustainable long term.
Managers are also increasingly struggling to navigate rising workplace pressure. More than three quarters (76%) say pressure on their team has increased compared to two years ago, while 72% feel pressure from senior leadership to maintain high performance. More than half (54%) say they struggle to balance performance expectations with employee wellbeing. More than a third (36%) say they have personally taken on extra work to reduce pressure on their teams, while 87% feel responsible for protecting employees from excessive workplace pressure. Despite their best efforts, 51% say they feel underprepared and out of their depth dealing with the scale of these challenges.
Toby Hough, VP, People & Culture, EMEA at HiBob, stated: "What we're seeing isn't simply a wellbeing issue. It's a workforce transformation issue. For years, organizations have invested heavily in technologies that make work faster, more connected, and more accessible. What many haven't done is redesign how work gets done. The result is a growing gap between what organizations expect from employees and what people can sustainably deliver. The future of work isn't about asking people to do more. It's about asking a more fundamental question: what is the work, who should do it, and how should it get done?"
About HiBob
HiBob is leading the way in HR innovation with its award-winning HCM platform, Bob, an AI-powered, all-in-one solution that transforms how modern businesses manage their people. By bringing together HR, payroll, workforce, and operational data in a single intelligent platform, Bob helps organizations transform fragmented information into actionable insight. More than 5,400 organizations worldwide, including eToro, Fred Perry, Huel, team.blue, and SmartRecruiters, rely on HiBob.
TechIntelPro empowers B2B technology decision-makers with the latest industry trends, deep insights, leadership perspectives and actionable intelligence to drive both organizational and professional milestones, and thrive on the tech pulse.
