- Survey reveals 92% of UK workers struggle to mentally disconnect outside of work
- Only 1% said they never check emails, messages or perform work tasks after hours.
- The Always-On Workforce Report 2026 surveyed 1,500 professionals
A new report on the after-hours activities of British employees has found that workers seem to really like being at work: either that, or they have difficulty disconnecting from the intensity of their contracted hours.
The Always-On Workforce Report 2026, conducted by MyPerfectCV, found that 92% of the 1,500 professionals surveyed said they are performing work tasks and responding to emails and messages beyond their contracted hours.
Additionally, workers have admitted to working while on sick leave and feeling guilty about taking annual leave, and interestingly, a significant portion of respondents said that management expectations drive their inability to switch off.
Work while sick
Of particular concern are the report’s findings regarding disease. Of the 1,500 respondents (500 from the UK and 1,000 from Spain, Italy, France and Germany), 91% of UK workers admitted to working while on sick leave. Additionally, 34% worked “frequently” while feeling ill rather than taking a sick day, and 57% admitted to doing the same “occasionally.”
The survey’s conclusion about these statistics is that they point to “a culture of presenteeism in which employees feel obligated to push through illness rather than prioritizing recovery.”
Meanwhile, annual leave also remains an issue for British workers. Employers have a duty to responsibly manage requests for annual leave, rejecting or rejecting requests with sufficient notice and only rejecting them citing valid commercial reasons, such as staff shortages. However, according to this survey, 31% admit to feeling anxious when requesting their legal vacation.
The struggle with mental disconnection is real
An interesting finding from the report is what is behind the inability of UK workers to “disconnect”. 50% of respondents blamed the workload on the heavy workload, while a not inconsiderable 44% blamed it on management’s expectations.
55% of employees admitted to checking email, responding to messages, and completing work tasks every day, suggesting that the line between professional and personal time has been blurred. This is notably higher than the European equivalent of 29%.
Not disconnecting from work can have serious repercussions on personal relationships and mental health. To underline this, 34% said they always find it “difficult to mentally disconnect from work during free time.”
“Being ‘always on’ is not defined by one behavior: it is the accumulation of small decisions to stay connected,” said Jasmine Escalera of MyPerfectCV.
“Whether checking emails on holiday, responding out of hours or working through illness, the line between work and personal time has become increasingly blurred for many UK employees.”
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