London tops global burnout rankings again in 2025 

London has been named the world’s most burnt-out city for the second year running, according to new research by global workplace insights platform Instant. 

The study analysed Google search trends across 30 major cities, tracking phrases such as “burnout symptoms”, “how to cope with burnout” and “signs of burnout at work”. London recorded the highest burnout sentiment globally, followed by Singapore and Melbourne. 

Manchester also climbed seven places to 13th in this year’s rankings, suggesting rising concern across the UK. In contrast, Stockholm saw the largest drop, falling 12 places to 28th. 

The data highlights that 91 per cent of UK workers have faced high or extreme levels of pressure or stress in the past year, with one in nine taking time off for mental health reasons. High workloads, financial worries and job insecurity are the leading causes of burnout, alongside poor management, inflexible policies and bullying. 

Worldwide, burnout remains widespread. In Singapore, 61 per cent of employees report experiencing burnout, while in Australia, half of all workers say they are affected. In the United States, four in five employees are considered at risk, with nearly half feeling the effects of work-related stress daily. 

The World Health Organisation defines burnout as an “occupational phenomenon” resulting from chronic, unmanaged workplace stress. Its symptoms include exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced professional effectiveness. 

According to the Instant report, the “silent failure” facing employers is not that offices are closed or workers are unwilling, but that many environments are no longer supporting effective work. Noise and distractions were cited by three-quarters of employees as barriers to performance, while nearly a quarter said their workplaces are uncomfortable or not suited to their roles. 

Sarah Jones-Payne, Founder and Managing Director of Prestige Occupational Health commented:

Chronic stress, and burnout, rarely appears overnight.  It builds quietly overtime and the skill is to know where those stressor may occur, and mitigate as far as reasonably possible.  Employers need to create psychologically safe environments where employees feel heard and supported.  This ensures a culture where employers can identify concerns early, to prevent burnout.  Implementing clear referral pathways to occupational health and providing mental health literacy training for line managers can make a real difference in catching burnout before it takes hold and starts to effect team and organisational performance.”

Flexible working continues to play a protective role. Only 18 per cent of hybrid workers and 19 per cent of home-based staff said workplace stress contributed to burnout, compared with 29 per cent of fixed-location and 34 per cent of field-based employees. 

Jones-Payne added:

The way we structure work matters as much as the support we offer. Occupational health professionals can guide employers to review workload distribution, role clarity, and rest opportunities through a health-centred lens. Occupational health can also identify opportunities to promote and embed employee benefits and wellbeing initiatives to optimise employee health.  By aligning job design with human capacity rather than pushing resilience alone, businesses can reduce burnout risk and improve engagement.

The research suggests that, while debates about the need for offices have subsided, the challenge has shifted to making workplaces fit for purpose — spaces that promote calm, comfort and focus, rather than intensify fatigue.