The study, commissioned by human resources consultancy Hudson, discovered that three in ten workers (31%) questioned claim to have suffered exhaustion, with more than one in four (26%) having lost sleep or made themselves ill through worry about work. Nearly half of those polled said the problem had got worse over the past five years, blaming the increased pace of modern life, more competition and the growing burdens placed on fewer staff.
The research also suggested that 14% of HR managers have lost staff to burnout, with 36% witnessing a decline in productivity and 79% seeing a rise in the number of sick days taken due to overwork.
"It is worrying that business managers do not appear to be able to increase productivity and hold on to top talent at the same time," said Hudson chief executive John Rose. "For employers, an increase in absenteeism, premature career change and a decline in interest and productivity among employees can have a serious long-term effect on businesses success."