Work-related burnout is continuing to rise across the UK, with nearly one in five people (19%) reporting that they're experiencing it, according to new findings from our Public Perceptions Survey1.

The results, based on a survey of 5,000 UK adults, show an increase from 16% last year.

Our members and accredited psychotherapists, and , discuss the impact burnout can have on mental health, and how therapy can help to build a healthier relationship with work.

New workplace pressures are driving burnout

Lorraine, a counsellor who works with people experiencing burnout, says the findings reflect what she sees in her practice.

β€œWhat strikes me is how often burnout is the last thing people will admit to.

β€œThere’s a particular shame attached to feeling overwhelmed, especially in environments where visibility labour (the exhausting, often invisible work of making yourself seen at work) has become an unspoken expectation.”

She says she’s seeing more clients coming to therapy to manage workplace burnout than in previous years.

β€œWith the rise of AI, ever-increasing performance reviews, toxic metric cultures, and the relentless pressure to demonstrate value, I’ve seen a significant increase in people coming to therapy for support with work-related burnout.”

She adds that many people are reluctant to acknowledge they’re struggling and feel anxious about job security and the fear of being replaced.

When workplace stress becomes burnout

While workplace stress is a normal part of life, burnout develops when stress becomes chronic and recovery becomes difficult, says Lorraine.

β€œA degree of workplace stress is both normal and expected. The body is designed to handle this kind of pressure in short bursts. What it isn’t designed for is chronic, unrelenting stress with no opportunity to recover.”

β€œWhen rest stops being restorative – when time off no longer returns you to yourself – that’s worth paying attention to,” she adds.

Why high achievers miss the warning signs

Therapist Rebecca Vivash says many people who appear successful and capable on the outside have become disconnected from their own needs.

β€œMany high-functioning people are exceptionally skilled at overriding their own internal signals. From the outside, they often appear successful, dependable, productive and emotionally capable.”

β€œFor many people, early experiences shaped a belief – often unconscious – that being competent, accommodating, self-sufficient or constantly achieving was linked to safety, approval or worth.”

The mental health consequences

Lorraine warns that burnout can have serious consequences if left unaddressed.

β€œThe withdrawal that begins as exhaustion – turning down invitations, reducing contact, retreating – can solidify into isolation, which is one of the more significant risk factors for depression.”

β€œWhat began as a response to external pressure becomes internalised: a story about inadequacy, about not being built for this, about being fundamentally less than.”

Addressing causes in the workplace

Both therapists believe organisations can do more to address the causes of burnout.

β€œThere are organisations doing genuinely thoughtful work in this area, but too often what I see is the language of wellbeing without the structural conditions to support it.”

β€œOffering wellbeing initiatives while maintaining cultures of chronic urgency, excessive workloads, constant availability, or unrealistic expectations can unintentionally place responsibility back onto employees to simply β€˜cope better’.”

How therapy can support recovery

Rebecca says therapy can help people understand both the pressures they face and the patterns that may be keeping them stuck.

β€œTherapy can help people understand both the external pressures they are facing and the internal survival patterns that may be keeping them stuck in cycles of overwork and depletion.”

β€œRecovery from chronic workplace stress really begins when the individual is able to view their experiences of burnout not as a personal failure, but as an understandable response to prolonged pressure and chronic activation.”

Lorraine adds: β€œIt offers something that’s harder to find than people might expect: a space where the full weight of an experience can be named without consequence.”

If work-related stress is affecting your wellbeing, seeking support early can help prevent burnout from becoming more severe and support a healthier relationship with work.

To find a trained and registered therapist who can help with burnout, please visit ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄β€™sΒ Therapist Directory.