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Two-thirds of legal professionals feel overwhelmed as poor benefits threaten retention

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Two-thirds of UK legal professionals feel overwhelmed at work, while more than a third are considering leaving the sector to access better employee benefits

Research from employee benefits technology platform Zest found that the percentage of legal professionals feeling overwhelmed by work (66 per cent) was the highest in any of the sectors surveyed. The figure compares with 62 per cent of employees in IT and computing, 59 per cent in business services and 57 per cent in healthcare.

The findings raise concerns about the effectiveness of workplace wellbeing support in the legal sector, where high workloads, long hours and pressure to perform continue to present challenges for employee health, engagement and retention.

Despite these pressures, only 34 per cent of legal sector employees use all the benefits available through their employer, suggesting a gap between the support organisations provide and the extent to which employees engage with it.

The research also found that just 57 per cent of legal professionals know which benefits are available to them, raising questions about how effectively employers communicate their wellbeing and reward packages.

Half of respondents in the legal sector consider their benefits package inadequate, while only 43 per cent believe they receive value for money from the benefits provided.

The findings suggest that offering workplace benefits alone may not be enough to address employee wellbeing challenges, particularly where employees are unaware of available support or do not believe it meets their needs.

More than half (55 per cent) of legal professionals want their employer to invest in better benefits, while 53 per cent say the quality of their benefits package affects their morale.

The research also points to potential consequences for workforce retention. More than a third (36 per cent) of legal employees say they want to change sectors to access better benefits. For law firms competing to attract and retain experienced professionals, the findings highlight the importance of aligning employee benefits with workforce needs, particularly as employers seek to manage workload pressures, maintain engagement and support sustainable performance.

The results also raise wider questions for UK employers about whether investment in employee benefits is translating into meaningful support for workforce health and wellbeing.

Low awareness and uptake can limit the effectiveness of benefits programmes, while poor alignment with employee needs may mean organisations are investing in services that staff do not use.

Antonio Barradas, Regional Managing Director at Zest, said: “The legal sector has always faced the brunt of stress and poor workplace wellbeing, and it’s clear that current benefits offerings are doing little to positively change that. With two thirds of legal professionals feeling extremely overwhelmed at work, and many thinking that their packages are inadequate, it is clear immediate action is needed.

“Benefits are a cost-effective solution to engaging employees and retaining talent. However, they are ineffective if they are not personalised or tailored to employee needs. Employers who are providing generic, off-the-shelf packages are only creating an expensive, ineffectual solution to the stress epidemic plaguing law firms and are getting poor value for money as a result.

“The key to effectively supporting employee wellbeing is transparent, regular communication and real time insights, allowing employers to understand exactly what benefits are in demand and enabling employees to know exactly how they are being supported by their company.”

The findings reinforce the need for employers to look beyond the availability of benefits and assess whether employees understand, access and value the support on offer.

It also highlights the importance of considering benefits as part of a wider workforce wellbeing strategy, alongside workload management, organisational culture and preventative support.

The research was conducted by independent research agency Opinium, which surveyed 2,000 UK workers between 11 and 22 June 2026. The sample was weighted to be nationally representative.

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