Workers didn’t take all their annual leave, felt increased pressure to stay switched on and leaned on sick days as burnout peaked in 2025 – yet nearly 70% still said they enjoyed their job in 2025, according to report Employment Uncovered, launched by Employment Hero.
Based on insights from over 100,000 employee records, it found UK workers have taken 19 days of annual leave so far in 2025. December – driven largely by people booking time off around the holidays – saw the highest volume of leave taken, with workers typically securing those days months in advance.
Long weekends are still a firm favourite, with Fridays 20% more likely to be booked off, followed by Mondays. The Thursday before Good Friday was the most popular day outside the festive season.
A quarter didn’t use all their allocated leave in 2025 and 44% felt pressured to keep working during their time off. Between January and October, employees took seven sick days on average. 28% of UK workers admit they took at least one sick day when they weren’t physically unwell and 17% took more than one.
When asked why, burnout topped the list. Nearly half said they took a sick day because they felt mentally or emotionally exhausted, while 39% said they felt overwhelmed and needed a break.
Despite the strain, nearly 7 in 10 workers say they actually enjoyed their job this year. Kevin Fitzgerald, UK Managing Director at Employment Hero, said: “2025 has been one of the toughest years workers have faced in a long time. People are juggling higher costs, fewer opportunities and intense pressure to stay switched on – and our data shows the toll that’s taking. When nearly half the workforce feels the need to check emails on annual leave or use sick days as an excuse to actually switch off, it’s clear something needs to change.
“But this research also reveals something I think is uniquely British: even in a difficult year, most people still enjoyed their jobs. They showed up, worked hard and found pride in what they do. Employment Uncovered is about recognising that resilience – and helping businesses support their teams better in 2026.”
