Practicing a holistic approach to employee wellbeing—supported by recognition—is essential for today’s organisations. Yet many are struggling to make this connection.
According to findings from the 2025 Global Culture Report produced by employee recognition platform O.C. Tanner, 74% of U.K. workers report significant levels of burnout. With the majority feeling stressed at work, getting easily frustrated with colleagues, struggling to get out of bed on workdays, and wanting to leave their job. Worryingly, the data also reveals that 42% of U.K. workers could qualify for a probable diagnosis of depression with 39% qualifying for a probable diagnosis of anxiety.
The reports findings are based on data and insights gathered from 38,075 workers from 27 countries including 4,896 from the U.K.
Toxic teams, workload and loneliness
The 39% of U.K. workers who are likely suffering anxiety admit to their job causing them mental health problems with many regarding their teams as toxic. They’re also struggling with workload. Employees that have probable depression also report hating their job and feeling lonely at work.
“The number of employees experiencing mental health struggles at work is reaching epidemic proportions”, says Robert Ordever, European MD of O.C. Tanner. “If organisations don’t address the issues head-on rather than trying to paper over the cracks, the fallout will become harder and harder to manage.”
O.C. Tanner highlights that poor organisational cultures exacerbate employees’ mental health battles, with the key workplace factors responsible for anxiety, depression and burnout including a lack of organisational purpose, few opportunities to grow and develop and a traditional authoritarian leadership approach. A lack of employee recognition and not prioritising wellbeing are also significantly impacting workers’ mental health.
Factors that can reduce burnout
Ordever says “Leaders must take a multi-pronged approach to addressing mental health in the workplace rather than just relying on initiatives that support workers already suffering with poor wellbeing. As well as looking to remove the stigma around mental illness, and encouraging colleagues to discuss their struggles openly, business leaders must take an honest look at their workplace culture to see how it can better mitigate mental health issues.”
By establishing a strong organisational purpose; empathetic and emotionally intelligent leaders; opportunities for all; and a culture where appreciation and wellbeing are prioritised, this reduces workplace stress, lessens team conflict, and improves connection and community.
The Report reveals that burnout is 80% less likely when there’s a modern leadership approach, it’s 83% less likely when an organisation provides growth and development opportunities, and it’s an incredible 87% less likely when a culture of appreciation exists.
Ordever adds, “Employee recognition can significantly improve mental health outcomes as feeling appreciated is a powerful emotion that underpins thriving workplaces. Recognition that’s an integrated part of employees’ daily experiences, not only reduces the likelihood of burnout, anxiety, and depression, it also cuts the costs and impacts of staff attrition, absenteeism and presenteeism.”
You can download O.C. Tanner’s 2025 Global Culture Report here.
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