LONDON NAMED WORLD’S MOST BURNT-OUT CITY AS GLOBAL STRESS LEVELS SURGE

London has been ranked as the world’s most burnt-out city, as new research reveals a sharp rise in employees searching online for signs of stress and workplace exhaustion.

Global analysis by Instant Offices shows that online searches for “burnout signs and symptoms” have risen by 50% in 2025, reflecting growing pressure on employees to cope with stress, financial strain, and constant demands from employers. London topped the list of 30 major cities analysed, followed by Melbourne, Singapore, New York and Sydney.

The research team used Google search data to identify burnout hotspots, tracking terms such as “burnout symptoms”, “how to cope with burnout” and “am I burnt out?” Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, former Google data scientist, has previously noted: “You can’t really trust what people tell you in everyday life, or even what they tell surveys. But for some reason, people confess their secrets to Google.”

Ben Wright, Head of Global Partnerships at Instant Offices, said: “Burnout is no longer a buzzword. It’s a reality that employers around the world can’t afford to ignore. Our data shows that employees in major cities are increasingly overwhelmed by workload, financial pressures, and the expectation to always be ‘on’. Organisations need to take proactive steps to protect employee wellbeing, not only to support their people, but also to maintain productivity and long-term business resilience.”

A city under pressure

London’s workforce appears to be under particular strain. Data indicates that 91% of Brits experienced “high or extreme” stress levels over the past year, with one in five requiring time off work due to mental health struggles linked to workplace pressures.

The UK’s leading workplace stress triggers include:

• 54% – High workload or unpaid tasks

• 45% – Regularly working unpaid overtime

• 42% – Feeling isolated at work

• 40% – Job insecurity and redundancy fears

• 38% – Taking on extra work to offset cost-of-living pressures

Global hotspots

• New York: 57% of US workers report negative effects from workplace stress, including exhaustion and reduced productivity.

• Melbourne & Sydney: Nearly half of Australian workers (48%) experience daily stress, with 64% reporting disengagement at work.

• Singapore: 47% of employees feel mentally or physically drained at the end of the day.

Defining and managing burnout

The World Health Organisation classifies burnout as a workplace condition caused by unmanaged stress, with symptoms ranging from exhaustion and negativity to declining professional performance.

Experts recommend five key coping strategies: maintaining a healthy lifestyle, talking openly about stress, taking daily breaks from technology, prioritising commitments, and practising relaxation techniques such as meditation and yoga.

With stress searches surging worldwide and London leading the list of affected cities, the findings underline the urgency for employers to address wellbeing in the workplace as a cornerstone of sustainable productivity.