Over 13 million UK workers could be at risk of burnout, new research reveals. The study, conducted by HR software provider Personio, combined its Burnout Risk Index – which measures job insecurity, emotional strain, long hours, and turnover rates, with the latest ONS employment data to calculate how many UK workers across 10 major UK industries are most vulnerable.
Finance workers face the greatest risk, scoring 87/100, followed by law professionals at 78 and tech workers at 66.
Health and social care, the UK’s largest employment sector, shows a lower risk score of 40%, but with over 5 million employed in the industry, that equates to more than 2 million NHS and private healthcare workers under pressure.
The full ranking, from most at risk to least, is as follows:
| Sector | UK jobs | Burnout risk % | At risk (millions) |
| Finance | 1.1m | 87% | 1.02 |
| Law | 3.5m | 78% | 2.72 |
| Technology (IT, software, data) | 1.6m | 66% | 1.05 |
| Creative (journalism, marketing, comms) | 1.1m | 62% | 0.69 |
| Education | 3.1m | 61% | 1.88 |
| Performing arts | 1.1m | 51% | 0.57 |
| Public service (public sector) | 1.8m | 46% | 0.81 |
| Manufacturing and construction | 2.2m | 40% | 0.88 |
| Health and social care | 5.1m | 40% | 2.05 |
| Hospitality | 2.7m | 37% | 1.00 |
| Retail | 4.6m | 37% | 1.72 |
The study also highlights concerning sector differences.
While healthcare and education employ some of the highest numbers of staff, burnout rates are significantly higher in white-collar industries such as finance and law, suggesting long hours, high-pressure environments, and poor work-life balance remain major drivers.
Neil Millen, Director, People Business at Personio, advises on how employers can help prevent burnout:
- Design work around life, not the other way around – Instead of “flexible policies,” ask whether your workflows, deadlines, and meeting habits actually respect people’s lives outside of work. Balance is built into the system, not bolted on afterwards.
- Prioritise mental health support – You don’t need big budgets or glossy wellbeing programmes to make a difference. Start by designing out avoidable stress by setting clear priorities, realistic deadlines, and respecting time off. Then build a culture where people look out for each other and it’s safe to say, “I’m struggling.” Small, consistent actions beat grand gestures every time..
- Build recognition into the flow of work – Employees typically disengage when appreciation feels like an annual event. Recognition should be frequent, authentic, and as much about impact as output. Small moments of acknowledgment compound into resilience.
- Encourage open communication – A culture of communication isn’t about saying “come talk to me.” It’s about leaders deliberately seeking feedback, showing vulnerability, and being open to employee voices influencing decisions.
Neil Millen further commented: “These figures are a wake-up call. A third of the workforce edging toward burnout is not a ‘people problem’ – it’s a business model problem.. Without action, we risk creating a generation of workers pushed to exhaustion, with serious consequences for productivity and retention. The companies that thrive will be those that redesign work to fuel energy, not drain it.”
For more insights on employee burnout, visit https://www.personio.com/blog/break-guilt-fuelling-burnout-in-uk-workplaces/
