LONDON, UK. January 16th, 2026 — New research into employee experience has revealed that workload continues to be a major issue for employees, with only 64% saying they can comfortably cope with the amount of work on their plate.
The finding points to growing imbalances between workload, work-life balance and wellbeing and the subsequent negative impact on employee engagement, performance and retention. This comes despite rapid AI adoption across workplaces, raising questions about whether new tools are genuinely reducing pressure or simply enabling more work to be done.
This insight comes from People Insight’s newly released Employee Experience Trends 2026 report, a hotly anticipated annual report that explores the current state of employee experience and the trends most likely to shape the year ahead.
The report draws on People Insight’s global benchmark data, representing millions of employee survey responses, alongside broader workplace research and expert analysis from People Insight’s consultancy team. Together, this provides a detailed and practical view of how work is being experienced today and what organisations need to pay attention to next.
The 2026 report highlights four key trends that are set to dominate employee experience in the year ahead:
• Trust, transparency and fair decision-making
• Connection at work and the impact of loneliness on performance
• Workload, role design and the ongoing skills shift
• The growing influence of AI on capacity and how work feels day to day
• Connection at work and the impact of loneliness on performance
• Workload, role design and the ongoing skills shift
• The growing influence of AI on capacity and how work feels day to day
Alongside the workload finding, the report reveals several connected warning signs.
Key findings from the report include:
• Only 64% of employees say they can comfortably cope with their workload
• Engagement stands at 79%, roughly unchanged year on year, masking rising underlying pressure
• Open workplace communication has fallen from 60% to 53% in just one year
• Only 63% of employees say senior leaders provide a clear vision of overall direction
• Just 61% feel senior leaders genuinely make the effort to listen
• Only 63% of employees feel they have the right opportunities to learn and grow at work
• Engagement stands at 79%, roughly unchanged year on year, masking rising underlying pressure
• Open workplace communication has fallen from 60% to 53% in just one year
• Only 63% of employees say senior leaders provide a clear vision of overall direction
• Just 61% feel senior leaders genuinely make the effort to listen
• Only 63% of employees feel they have the right opportunities to learn and grow at work
Commenting on the findings, Tom Debenham, Founder of People Insight, said: “When people consistently feel overloaded, it affects everything, from wellbeing and engagement through to trust in leadership and long-term commitment. What this data shows is that organisations cannot afford to treat workload as a side issue. It sits right at the heart of the employee experience.”
The Employee Experience Trends 2026 report provides practical guidance on how organisations can respond to these challenges, helping leaders move from insight to action with greater confidence.
The report is an essential read for HR professionals, leaders and anyone with responsibility for employee experience, engagement or organisational culture.
Download a copy of the report at peopleinsight.co.uk/trends-report-2026.
ENDS