IDEWE research: More than one in three employees experience high workload

The holiday season is coming to an end, and soon most people will be back at work. For more than one in three employees (36%), this also means returning to a high workload they experience in their jobs. In addition, 33% feel mentally exhausted because of work, while 30% regularly experience stress. This is revealed by a survey conducted by IDEWE, Belgium's largest external service for workplace prevention and protection, among more than 70,000 employees across Belgium*. With the busy autumn months ahead, CEO Lode Godderis wants to dispel the misconception that "high workload" simply means "having a lot of work," and shares practical advice on what employers and employees can do to keep workload under control.

"Having a lot of work is only one part of the issue," says Lode Godderis, CEO of IDEWE and Professor of Occupational Medicine at KU Leuven. "Workload and stress also arise when expectations and responsibilities are unclear, or when employees feel they must always be available. That is why clear agreements on priorities, expectations, and adequate support are so important, not only to recover properly during periods of rest, but also to remain healthy, productive and sustainably employable in the long term, regardless of holiday periods."

Godderis points to the education sector as a familiar example of a field where employees are often highly committed and carry a strong sense of responsibility. "It is precisely among highly engaged employees that organisations need to help safeguard boundaries. People who care deeply about their work often carry that responsibility home with them mentally. Not everything can be done at once, and not every responsibility should always rest with the employee."

Only 29% feel they have sufficient influence on decisions

Many employees already experience sufficient clarity and autonomy within their own roles. Some 79% know what is expected of them, while 60% report having enough decision-making latitude (they can plan and carry out their work in the way they believe is most effective). However, there is still room for improvement at team and organisational levels. Only 29% feel they have sufficient influence over decisions made by their direct manager. Just over half (52%) feel well informed about important developments within their organisation, and only 31% believe that managers address psychosocial wellbeing issues quickly and actively involve employees in improvement initiatives.

"When employees feel they have little say at team or organisational levels, or when they believe concerns about wellbeing are not being adequately addressed, the mental burden can increase rapidly. Autonomy and clarity within one's own role are important, but employees also need to feel that they are not alone and that their voice is being heard," Godderis continues.

Tips for employers, managers and employees

According to Godderis, a healthy return from holiday and the key to remaining sustainably employable in the long term involve more than simply easing back into work. The post-holiday restart provides an ideal opportunity for teams to reflect on workload and adjust arrangements where necessary. Small, practical changes can already make a difference:

For employees

Reassess your priorities: don't try to catch up on everything at once when you return. Align with colleagues and managers on which tasks need immediate attention and which can wait. One extra tip: keep your out-of-office message active for an additional day to give yourself time to settle back into work.
Speak up about challenges: having autonomy does not mean you have to solve everything on your own. Raise concerns about workload, unclear expectations, or other obstacles, and communicate what support you need to perform your job effectively.
Maintain mental distance from work throughout the year: don't wait for your next holiday to disconnect. Make a conscious effort to switch off at the end of regular working days and avoid letting work occupy your thoughts continuously.
Learn to recognise your own pitfalls: commitment and engagement are major strengths, but they can also make it harder to set boundaries. If you find it difficult to let go of work, discuss this with your manager before it becomes a problem.

For employers and managers

Make the return to work a genuine check-in moment: don't just ask employees about their holiday. Ask how they feel about returning to work. What is going well? Where do they experience pressure? What energises them, and what challenges do they face? Use these insights to adjust priorities and expectations where necessary.
Create room for employee input: the freedom to organise one's own work is important, but employees also want to be heard on decisions that affect their work. Involve them wherever possible and be transparent about how their feedback is used.
Clarify responsibilities and availability: employees should understand both what they are responsible for and when that responsibility ends. Clear agreements help prevent people from feeling they must be available at all times.
Build a healthy workplace culture: a healthy and open wellbeing culture goes beyond encouraging employees to raise concerns. Organisations should also demonstrate what actions are being taken and provide feedback on the steps implemented.

^{* Data are based on IDEWE's 2025 employee surveys on psychosocial wellbeing (RAPSi – Psychosocial Risk Assessment), conducted among 73,585 respondents.}