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Achieving a healthy work-life balance was a key focus for employees in 2026, according to our Career Outlook 2026 report. However, a new MyPerfectCV survey of 1,500 professionals shows that while employees generally believe their employers support work-life balance, many still struggle to disconnect in practice.
The Always-On Workforce Report 2026 reveals how Britain’s always-on work culture has become embedded in daily working life. Overall, 93% of UK respondents report working after hours at least occasionally, while 91% say they have worked while sick instead of taking time off. Despite 88% of employees saying their workplace respects their right to disconnect, heavy workloads and perceived management expectations continue to keep many employees connected after hours, during annual leave, and even when they’re unwell.
Key Findings
- 92% of UK workers struggle to mentally switch off during their time off, well above the 78% European average.
- 93% of UK workers work outside normal hours, including 55% who do so every day.
- 91% of UK workers have worked while sick, with one in three doing so frequently.
- 88% feel guilty or anxious requesting leave.
- Heavy workloads (50%) and management expectations (44%) are the biggest drivers of the UK’s always-on culture.
Most Employees Continue Working Outside Normal Hours
The survey found that after-hours work has become a regular part of working life for many employees.
When asked how frequently they check work emails, respond to messages, or perform work tasks outside working hours:
- 55% said every day
- 27% said a few times a week
- 11% said a few times a month
- 6% said rarely
- 1% said never
Overall, 93% report working outside normal hours at least occasionally, while 82% do so at least a few times each week.
What this means: The boundary between contracted working hours and personal time has blurred significantly. For a large number of surveyed professionals, logging off at the end of the day rarely means work tasks are actually finished.
Working While Sick Is Common
When asked whether they have ever worked while feeling ill instead of taking a sick day:
- 34% said yes, frequently
- 57% said yes, occasionally
- 9% said no
In total, 91% report working while sick at least occasionally, including one-third who say they do so frequently.
What this means: Taking a sick day is not the default response to illness for most surveyed professionals. This points to a culture of presenteeism where employees feel compelled to push through illness rather than prioritise recovery.
Almost Half Remain Connected During Time Off
The survey also found that many employees remain connected to work while taking annual leave. When asked whether they completely disconnect while on annual leave:
- 53% said yes, absolutely
- 35% said they mostly disconnect but still check emails occasionally
- 11% said they regularly check emails or messages
- 1% said they continue doing work or taking calls
Overall, 47% report checking work in some capacity during annual leave, although most describe it as occasional email monitoring rather than active work.
What this means: For many UK workers, annual leave is rarely an absolute break from work responsibilities. Even when employees take extended time off, the habit or expectation of monitoring communications keeps them connected to the workplace.
9 in 10 Struggle to Mentally Disconnect
When asked how often they find it difficult to disconnect from work mentally during their time off:
- 34% said always
- 26% said often
- 32% said sometimes
- 7% said rarely
- 1% said never
92% say they struggle to mentally disconnect from work at least sometimes, including 60% who say it happens often or always.
What this means: Finishing work for the day does not guarantee mental rest. The data shows that a large number of employees continue to focus on work during their free time.
Most Experience Guilt When Requesting Time Off
Taking time off remains a source of stress for many employees. When asked how often they feel guilt or anxiety when officially requesting time off:
- 31% said always
- 25% said often
- 32% said sometimes
- 7% said rarely
- 5% said never
Overall, 88% experience guilt or anxiety when requesting leave at least sometimes.
What this means: Requesting time off is a source of stress for a majority of surveyed professionals. Having formal annual leave policies does not eliminate the guilt and anxiety associated with taking a break.
What Prevents Employees From Disconnecting
UK employees were asked to identify the biggest barriers preventing them from fully disconnecting after work or during time off. The most common responses were:
Operational
- Heavy workload (50%)
- Lack of coverage (25%)
Culture
- Management expectations (44%)
- Fear of being replaceable (12%)
- Guilt (4%)
Personal
- FOMO (24%)
- Work apps (17%)
- Personal boundary setting (5%)
Only 2% report having no difficulty disconnecting from work.
What this means: Operational and cultural factors significantly outpace personal habits as the main reasons employees remain connected. Heavy workload, management expectations, and lack of coverage are reported as the most common barriers preventing employees from fully disconnecting.
UK vs. Europe
Compared with employees across Europe, British employees consistently report higher levels of after-hours work, guilt around taking leave, and working while sick.
The UK stands out as the most “always-on” demographic in several key areas:
- Presenteeism: While 85% of European workers report working while sick, that number jumps to 91% in the UK.
- Daily After-Hours Work: Only 29% of European workers perform work tasks outside of hours every day. In the UK, that figure nearly doubles to 55%.
- Guilt Over Taking Leave: 53% of European workers experience guilt or anxiety when requesting time off. In the UK, this affects 88% of employees.
- Workload Pressures: Across Europe, lack of coverage (30%) was the top barrier to disconnecting, with heavy workloads sitting at 27%. In the UK, a heavy workload is the dominant barrier, cited by exactly half (50%) of all respondents, followed closely by management expectations (44% in the UK vs. 28% in Europe).
What this means: The UK’s “always-on” workplace culture outpaces the European average. UK professionals experience significantly higher rates of daily after-hours work, presenteeism, and leave-related guilt.
The findings suggest Britain’s always-on culture is being driven less by formal workplace policies than by workload, workplace expectations, and employee behaviour, creating a disconnect between the right to disconnect and the reality of modern work.
Methodology
The findings in this report are based on a June 2026 survey of 1,500 employed professionals, comprising 500 respondents from the UK and 1,000 across Spain, Italy, France, and Germany. Participants answered a combination of single- and multiple-choice questions exploring their experiences with work-life balance, annual leave utilisation, the right to disconnect, and workplace productivity monitoring.
Jasmine Escalera
Career expert
Jasmine is a certified career coach providing career advice on My Perfect Resume & My Perfect CV sites.
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