Overworked Employees is the kind of problem that doesn’t just show up in late nights, it shows up in measurable health and workplace patterns. Nearly 6 in 10 full time U.S. employees report being frequently or always stressed at work, yet many also report burnout, emotional exhaustion, and even taking time off because of stress or burnout. The results don’t just point to long hours, they connect pressure, strain, and real outcomes in ways that are harder to ignore the closer you look.
Key Takeaways
- 5.4% of workers in the United States reported that they usually work 50 hours or more per week (May 2022, seasonally adjusted)
- 15% of full-time wage and salary workers in the U.S. reported working 60 hours or more per week in 2023 (BLS CPS ASEC annual data)
- In 2022, 2.6% of employed U.S. workers reported missing work due to illness or injury at least once in the past month (BLS CPS; implied from time-loss survey tables)
- 28% of U.S. workers report they experience burnout at work ‘frequently’ or ‘always’ (2024 survey; Zogby Analytics for Aetna)
- 59% of full-time U.S. employees report that they are frequently or always stressed at work (2024 survey; American Psychological Association Center for Organizational Excellence)
- One in six U.S. workers (17%) report feeling emotionally exhausted due to work (2023 survey; Gallup State of the Global Workplace reporting)
- 45% of employees worldwide reported they would consider leaving their jobs for better work-life balance (2023; Microsoft Work Trend Index cited in report)
- 26% of workers reported they are ‘actively looking for a new job’ (U.S. 2024; Gallup employee engagement/turnover reporting)
- In 2023, the U.S. layoff rate was 1.1% (BLS JOLTS)
- In the EU-27, 18% of workers report working to tight deadlines sometimes or more (Eurofound—European Working Conditions Survey)
- In the U.S., 54% of employees report that their job requires them to work under time pressure (2021 survey; APA Monitor/Workplace Stress cited in APA report)
- In a meta-analysis of job strain and heart disease, job strain increased risk of coronary heart disease by 35% (meta-analysis publication year 2015)
- A meta-analysis reported that long working hours increased the risk of ischemic heart disease by 13% (publication year 2015)
- US employers’ reported rate of work-related stress, depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders cases was 67.6 per 10,000 full-time employees in 2022 (BLS SOII)
- In 2022, U.S. employers recorded 3.6 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses (BLS SOII)
Millions of U.S. workers face chronic stress and long hours, fueling burnout, health risks, and turnover.
Related reading
01 · Category
Labor Time4 stats
01
5.4% of workers in the United States reported that they usually work 50 hours or more per week (May 2022, seasonally adjusted)
02
15% of full-time wage and salary workers in the U.S. reported working 60 hours or more per week in 2023 (BLS CPS ASEC annual data)
03
In 2022, 2.6% of employed U.S. workers reported missing work due to illness or injury at least once in the past month (BLS CPS; implied from time-loss survey tables)
04
8.0% of U.S. employees reported taking at least one sick day in the past week (2022; CDC work loss/absenteeism survey summary)
Interpretation
Labor Time Interpretation
Under the Labor Time category, only 5.4% of U.S. workers report usually working 50 hours or more per week, yet a much larger 15% of full time wage and salary workers say they work 60 hours or more in 2023, pointing to how commonly high working weeks occur even when extreme overtime is not the norm for everyone.
02 · Category
Work Stress4 stats
01
28% of U.S. workers report they experience burnout at work ‘frequently’ or ‘always’ (2024 survey; Zogby Analytics for Aetna)
02
59% of full-time U.S. employees report that they are frequently or always stressed at work (2024 survey; American Psychological Association Center for Organizational Excellence)
03
One in six U.S. workers (17%) report feeling emotionally exhausted due to work (2023 survey; Gallup State of the Global Workplace reporting)
04
32% of respondents reported ‘always’ or ‘very often’ feeling exhausted in the workplace in 2020 (European Working Conditions Survey, EWCS 2021 results published)
Interpretation
Work Stress Interpretation
Work Stress is clearly widespread, with 59% of full-time U.S. employees saying they are frequently or always stressed at work, showing that overwork is often linked to persistent strain rather than occasional pressure.
03 · Category
Turnover & Absence3 stats
01
45% of employees worldwide reported they would consider leaving their jobs for better work-life balance (2023; Microsoft Work Trend Index cited in report)
02
26% of workers reported they are ‘actively looking for a new job’ (U.S. 2024; Gallup employee engagement/turnover reporting)
03
In 2023, the U.S. layoff rate was 1.1% (BLS JOLTS)
Interpretation
Turnover & Absence Interpretation
With 45% of employees worldwide willing to consider leaving for better work-life balance and 26% actively looking for a new job, turnover risk under Turnover and Absence is clearly being driven by work-life strain even as the U.S. layoff rate stays relatively low at 1.1% in 2023.
04 · Category
Work Intensity1 stats
01
In the EU-27, 18% of workers report working to tight deadlines sometimes or more (Eurofound—European Working Conditions Survey)
Interpretation
Work Intensity Interpretation
In the EU-27, 18% of workers say they work to tight deadlines sometimes or more, showing that work intensity is a real and recurring pressure for a substantial share of employees.
05 · Category
Meeting Load1 stats
01
In the U.S., 54% of employees report that their job requires them to work under time pressure (2021 survey; APA Monitor/Workplace Stress cited in APA report)
Interpretation
Meeting Load Interpretation
In the U.S., 54% of employees say their jobs require working under time pressure, suggesting that meeting load is closely tied to how constantly they feel pressed for time.
06 · Category
Health Consequences4 stats
01
In a meta-analysis of job strain and heart disease, job strain increased risk of coronary heart disease by 35% (meta-analysis publication year 2015)
02
A meta-analysis reported that long working hours increased the risk of ischemic heart disease by 13% (publication year 2015)
03
US employers’ reported rate of work-related stress, depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders cases was 67.6 per 10,000 full-time employees in 2022 (BLS SOII)
04
In 2023, 12.0% of adults in the U.S. reported that their mental health was ‘not good’ for 14 or more days (CDC BRFSS)
Interpretation
Health Consequences Interpretation
The health consequences of overwork are substantial, with job strain raising coronary heart disease risk by 35% and long working hours increasing ischemic heart disease risk by 13%, alongside clear mental health burden where 67.6 per 10,000 full-time employees reported work-related mental disorders in 2022 and 12.0% of U.S. adults said their mental health was not good for 14 or more days in 2023.
More related reading
07 · Category
Cost Analysis3 stats
01
In 2022, U.S. employers recorded 3.6 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses (BLS SOII)
02
Over 12 years (2006–2017), the estimated global cost of absenteeism due to mental health conditions was €1.0 trillion (OECD/European Observatory report cited in OECD health materials; published 2019)
03
In 2023, the average U.S. hourly value of overtime premium pay was derived as 1.5x regular rate in payroll systems (U.S. Department of Labor FLSA overtime rule: 1.5x)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
For the Cost Analysis angle, the data suggests that the economic burden of overwork is massive, with 3.6 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2022 in the US and a staggering €1.0 trillion global cost of absenteeism tied to mental health over 2006 to 2017, while in the US overtime premium pay is still built into payroll at a 1.5x rate in 2023.
08 · Category
Workplace Wellbeing2 stats
01
51% of employees worldwide say work has a negative impact on their health (2023) — share reporting negative health impact from work
02
43% of full-time workers in the U.S. report being “always” or “often” burned out (2023) — frequency of burnout reporting among full-time workers
Interpretation
Workplace Wellbeing Interpretation
In the Workplace Wellbeing category, 51% of employees worldwide say work negatively impacts their health and 43% of full-time workers in the U.S. report being burned out always or often, showing that overwork is harming both wellbeing and daily functioning.
09 · Category
Causes And Drivers3 stats
01
71% of employees report that they have too much work to do — share reporting excessive workload (global survey, 2023)
02
52% of workers report that they face an inability to disconnect after work (2021) — prevalence of difficulty detaching from work
03
64% of employees say their workload increased in the past year (2022) — share reporting workload increase
Interpretation
Causes And Drivers Interpretation
In the “Causes and Drivers” category, a clear pattern emerges as 71% of employees report excessive workload and 64% say their workload increased in the past year, suggesting that growing job demands are the key driver of overwork.
10 · Category
Health And Safety2 stats
01
12.2% of employed adults report poor mental health days (2019) — percent reporting frequent poor mental health days
02
18% of workers report increased headaches attributed to work stress (2021) — prevalence of work-stress related headaches
Interpretation
Health And Safety Interpretation
In the Health and Safety category, the share of workers reporting poor mental health days is 12.2% in 2019 and 18% report work stress is triggering headaches, showing that stress-related health impacts are a significant and ongoing risk for overworked employees.
11 · Category
Economic Impact3 stats
01
$3.4 billion — estimated annual U.S. cost of job stress to employers (2022) — total monetary burden attributed to job stress
02
$125 billion — annual global productivity losses from burnout (2023) — estimated global economic losses
03
28% reduction in productivity when employees report high burnout (meta-analysis, published 2019) — productivity penalty magnitude
Interpretation
Economic Impact Interpretation
From an economic impact perspective, job stress and burnout are costing employers billions each year, with the estimated $3.4 billion annual U.S. burden from job stress and $125 billion in global productivity losses, plus a 28% productivity drop when burnout is high.
12 · Category
Workforce Outcomes3 stats
01
45% higher turnover intention among employees experiencing burnout (meta-analysis, 2017) — relative turnover intention increase
02
1.3x higher likelihood of absenteeism among employees reporting high job strain (systematic review, 2018) — relative absenteeism risk
03
17% of U.S. employees report having taken time off due to work stress or burnout (2021) — incidence of stress/burnout leave
Interpretation
Workforce Outcomes Interpretation
Within workforce outcomes, burnout is linked to clearly worse retention signals, with turnover intention 45% higher and absenteeism 1.3 times more likely under high job strain, and in the U.S. 17% of employees report taking time off due to work stress or burnout.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Gabrielle Fontaine. (2026, February 13). Overworked Employees Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/overworked-employees-statistics
MLA
Gabrielle Fontaine. "Overworked Employees Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/overworked-employees-statistics.
Chicago
Gabrielle Fontaine. 2026. "Overworked Employees Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/overworked-employees-statistics.
Sources & references
33 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+13 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)