Half of employees in favour of ‘festive lockdown’ due to feeling overwhelmed by workload, study finds

Survey found people keen ‘to recharge their batteries and protect their mental health’

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More than half of employees in the UK would welcome a “festive lockdown” to improve their overall wellbeing, a new study has found.

The survey of 900 managers and 1,200 employees, carried out by the Hack Future Lab, found that many workers are feeling overwhelmed with their workload and are struggling to adapt to post-lockdown working life.

More than half of those surveyed said they would be in favour of a two-week lockdown over Christmas to give them a chance to recuperate.

Meanwhile, three-quarters of those who took part said they have been running on empty fuel since July, when they returned to the workplace.

Terence Mauri, CEO of Hack Future Lab, said its three-month study was about “returnism”, a phrase coined to describe the psychological impact of returning to the workplace after a sustained period of leave.

“For a considerable number of people, readjusting to a workplace environment and the nine-to-five has not been easy,” he said.

“High staff absences and employer expectations are placing a great strain on many employees, resulting in increased stress and bigger, often double, workloads.

“It is perhaps unsurprising, then, that of the 2,100 individuals we interviewed across the UK, 73 per cent described themselves as being at ‘breaking point’ and that 53 per cent would wholly welcome a winter lockdown to recharge their batteries and protect their mental health.”

Mauri added that the findings should be taken seriously by employers.

“The results of our research indicate a worrying reflection of the times, and the government and employers across Britain must take urgent action to protect UK workers before it is too late,” he said.