Workers in the UK the most at risk of burnout in 2024

Fresh data uncovers which local authorities are putting in the most overtime. In a recent study conducted by The Calculator Site, an online calculator tool, an analysis was performed on each local authority’s average annual paid overtime hours per person in 2023. This information, sourced from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), helped identify the top four local authorities most susceptible to burnout in 2024.

Employee burnout

Taking the lead as the most overworked local authority is North Lincolnshire, with an annual mean paid overtime of 78 hours per person—surpassing the national average by a significant 90.24% in 2023. Notably, there’s a downward trend in overtime hours, showing a 16.7% reduction from 2022.

Securing the second position is South Holland, the local authority at the second-highest risk of burnout, recording 73 hours of annual mean paid overtime. This represents a 22.2% decrease compared to the previous year, with a substantial 78.04% drop from the year before that.

Thurrock and Slough share the third spot, each registering 68 hours of annual mean paid overtime per person—65.85% higher than the national average in 2023. While Slough’s figures decreased by 18.8% in 2022, Thurrock experienced an 18.2% increase during the same period.

In joint fourth place are Westmorland and Furness, Kingston upon Hull, and Breckland, each reporting 62 hours of annual mean paid overtime per person. This marks a 51.21% excess over the national average in 2023. Westmorland and Furness witnessed a 33.3% increase in annual mean overtime hours from 2022, while Kingston upon Hull’s decreased by 7.7%, alongside a 25% reduction for Breckland.

Alastair Hazell of The Calculator Site commented on the study, emphasising the importance of mental health in the workplace. Highlighting that 1 in 5 people have taken time off work due to stress and pressure in the last year, Hazell encourages both employers and employees to calculate their overtime hours proactively. This, he believes, will play a crucial role in preventing burnout from becoming widespread in the workplace in 2024, though he acknowledges the curiosity surrounding which location will top the list in the coming months

Table: The most overworked U.K. local authorities