A quarter of those surveyed have said they have an inability to relax or reset.

Robert Walters country manager Suzanne Feeney said people not being able to switch off from work can “result in a variety of negative side effects for professionals”.

“Excessive workloads, difficult deadlines, and constant monitoring from managers can prevent professionals from being able to fully switch off from work. 

"This could quickly lead to them grappling with diminished concentration and motivation — even resulting in declining levels of productivity and engagement,” she said.

One of the main triggers for not being able to switch off is the expectation that professionals must be always available with 66% of people, across all professional services industries, stating that this pressure has increased over the past 12 months.

Of those surveyed, 54% admit to checking-in on work-related emails or calls when not in the office and a further fifth said their employer ‘frequently’ contacts them outside of office hours.

Ms Feeney said the increasing use of platforms such as Microsoft Teams or Slack has meant that teams can be more easily tracked and contacted by their managers. 

“An ‘always online’ workplace culture contributes to the blurring of lines between office hours and personal time as well as an increasingly unrealistic expectation for greater availability. 

"This is something that if left unchecked can rapidly lead to increased cases of burnout across workforces,” she said.

Ms Feeney warned that employers are risking of creating a “zombie workforce” which could put employee productivity and satisfaction levels “on the line”. 

“This could directly lead to a rise in cases of absenteeism throughout their organisation," she added.