More than two-fifths (42 percent) of UK workers want access to sabbaticals this year, as research suggests that this rise in interest in unpaid time off is due to concerns about burnout.
Nearly two thirds (62 percent) of workers reported that their employers are at risk of over-working staff this year.
These were the key results from research by recruitment firm Robert Half, which are outlined in its 2025 Salary Guide.
The firm said that as budgets are tight, preventing larger salary offers, a sabbatical programme could be a “low-lift benefit” for some employers. It could form part of an enhanced employee engagement programme that allows an employer to outshine competitors when it comes to attracting and retaining the best people.
Further benefits of offering sabbaticals include helping to reduce burnout and increased retention, especially among high-performing staff who might otherwise think about leaving. The recruiter said that from a financial perspective, offering unpaid or partially paid sabbaticals can be a cost-effective way to show commitment to employee wellbeing without creating permanent overheads.
Matt Weston, senior managing director UK & Ireland at Robert Half, said this trend is one that employers should monitor carefully and act on swiftly to ensure their talent attraction and retention strategies are robust and relevant to today’s workers.
“Given the increased focus on mental health and wellbeing that has been growing across the UK workforce for the last few years, it’s perhaps unsurprising that so many want access to time away from the office to rebalance or to pursue a dearly held goal.
“However, underlying reasons for this trend perhaps paints a concerning picture that businesses need to be aware of. The fact that so many workers tell us that they are concerned that they will be overworked in the year ahead suggests a level of uneasiness in the workforce that could have a lasting impact.”
He said that aside from the temporary issue of backfilling people who are on extended leave, failing to address the reasons why so many workers are longing to take extra time out of the business could create a talent headache longer term.
“If employees are overworked – or believe they are at risk of this – they won’t hang around for long. The damage this can have on employer branding is detrimental. It is important that firms monitor any increase in trends such as this to ascertain what the root cause of it is and act accordingly, otherwise they could face an exodus of talent.”
He said there was growing evidence that many people are simply in need of a moment to themselves in their busy lives.
“There’s a wealth of data that showcases the potential burnout crisis people are facing, with Mental Health UK reporting that 90 percent of workers across the country felt stressed last year. Even those employers that are already offering extra time off – paid or not – should be mindful of trends such as this to ensure they are offering a truly holistic benefits packages that meets the needs of workers today.”
