Nearly seven in ten UK workers hide ill health at work as pleasanteeism deepens wellbeing risk 

Nearly seven in ten UK employees now admit to pretending to be well at work when they are not, exposing a growing and largely hidden risk to workplace health and wellbeing, according to new research from Lime Health. 

The study found that 69 per cent of employees say they sometimes, often or always conceal physical or mental ill health while at work, up sharply from 51 per cent in 2021. More than a third (34 per cent) say they often or always pretend to be well– a figure that points to pleasanteeism becoming embedded in UK workplace culture, rather than an occasional response to pressure. 

Money worries are the most common driver, cited by 49 per cent of employees, followed by a lack of understanding from managers at 26 per cent and ongoing stigma around health at work at 19 per cent. Together, these factors reflect wider challenges in UK workplace health and wellbeing, where people feel unable to be open about health concerns despite being present at work. 

The findings underline that the impact of poor health is not limited to absence. Sixty-one per cent of employees say their performance declines when they work while unwell, reinforcing evidence that hidden ill health undermines productivity, engagement and long-term workforce sustainability. More than a third of HR leaders, 36 per cent, now say tackling hidden health challenges is their top workforce priority. 

Shaun Williams, founder and chief executive of Lime Health, said the rapid rise in pleasanteeism shows the problem goes beyond attendance. “When so many people feel compelled to hide how they’re really feeling at work, it tells us the issue isn’t simply absence, it’s what’s happening while people are still present,” Williams said. “This kind of hidden ill-health is largely invisible to employers, yet it has a very real impact on performance, engagement and long-term workforce sustainability.” 

Despite growing awareness, the research highlights a widening gap between recognising the problem and knowing how to respond. Many employers lack clear data and visibility on workforce health, making it harder to identify early risk, understand what is driving poor wellbeing or assess which interventions are effective. As a result, issues often surface later as higher absence, disengagement and retention risk, by which point the cost to individuals and organisations is already significant. 

The wider economic implications are substantial. The UK Government estimates that ill health and lost productivity cost the economy £85bn each year, with pleasanteeism alone accounting for around £21bn in lost output. This adds to mounting national concern about the link between work, health and economic participation. 

Williams said employers are trying to act but need better insight. “The real challenge is the lack of clear, actionable insight into what’s actually working,” he said. “Without better data and earlier visibility of risk, organisations are left reacting too late. That’s why workforce health needs to be treated as an integrated system, connecting insight, prevention and access to care before issues escalate into absence, attrition or long-term ill health.” 

The research was conducted by Censuswide in partnership with Lime Health in September 2025 and surveyed 1,000 UK employees and 500 HR decision-makers across sectors including retail, education, hospitality, construction and food and drink. The findings reinforce the growing need for UK employers to address workplace health and wellbeing not just through absence management, but by creating environments where people feel safe to be honest about their health while work is still possible and sustainable.