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Work/life balance overtakes finances as UK’s biggest stressor

Work/life balance overtakes finances as UK’s biggest stressor

Balancing work and life now causes more stress than money. New research by productivity provider Avilio finds UK workers are more anxious about managing work/life balance than their financial outlook, with 32% citing it as their leading source of stress — ahead of money, job security, and even the global economy.

Maintaining a healthy work/life balance has overtaken financial security as the biggest source of stress for UK workers, according to new research from productivity and performance coaching provider, Avilio.

The study — based on an independent survey of 1,261 workers across the UK — reveals that nearly a third (32%) say balancing work and personal life is their top cause of stress. This ranks higher than concerns over their own finances (23%) or their family’s financial outlook (22%).

Financial anxiety remains significant, but Avilio’s findings suggest that the boundaries between professional and personal life are now a greater concern than money itself. Other prominent stressors include being unable to complete daily tasks (21%), job security (18%), and the domestic and global economic outlook (21% and 19% respectively).

The survey also found that 36% of respondents had suffered burnout — defined as prolonged physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion — within the past year.

Philippe Masson, CEO of Avilio, said: “In an uncertain economic climate and a sustained cost of living crisis, you might expect finances to be the most significant cause of stress. Yet our research shows that even in this context, managing a good work/life balance is still keeping people up at night.”

Masson added that many companies have, understandably, concentrated on financial wellbeing initiatives. “However, this research serves as a useful reminder that wellbeing must be seen holistically,” he continued. “Policies such as flexible and hybrid working, and continued open dialogues about the balance of responsibilities at work and at home, can go a long way to boosting worker satisfaction, productivity, engagement, and loyalty — all of which have a direct impact on company ROI.”

The findings underscore how the cost of living crisis and workplace expectations intersect in shaping modern stress. Even as inflationary pressures ease, burnout linked to workload and balance appears to be more enduring. For employers, it reinforces the business case for treating wellbeing as a performance lever, not a perk.

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BQ

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