HR Magazine: HR professionals prioritise work over rest

We’re proud that the Ultimate Resilience HR Mental Wellbeing Report 2025, published with our partners Towergate Employee Benefits , has been cited in HR magazine. Drawing on almost 50,000 data points from over 1,400 HR professionals, the report offers one of the clearest pictures yet of the pressures facing HR teams.

The findings are stark:

• 67% reported low wellbeing

• 26% had not felt fresh or rested at all in the past two weeks

• Burnout was considered “very likely” for 63%, with a further 15% at risk

These insights echo wider research, which found that 44% of HR professionals continue working even when they know they should rest – the highest of any sector.

A third also said remote and hybrid working has directly fuelled burnout, while nearly half of workers across all industries believe burnout has risen since the pandemic.

As experts told HR magazine, HR professionals often act as the emotional shock absorbers of organisations, holding space for conflict, redundancies, and sensitive issues, all while meeting business demands.

This dual pressure takes its toll as increasing numbers of HR professionals prioritise work over rest. This makes it essential that organisations show genuine support for HR, from resourcing teams properly to recognising their achievements at the same level as other functions.

At Ultimate Resilience, our mission is to give HR professionals the tools to protect their own wellbeing while supporting others through our pioneering HR Supervision Service.

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