Respondents said they are stretched too thinly or not being paid enough

36% of UK employees consider quitting their job regularly because they are stretched too thinly, are not being paid enough, or have a lack of development in their role, according to research.

Additionally, 74% of the 2,000 people surveyed by the Chartered Accountants Benevolent Association indicated that they found their ability to concentrate was negatively affected by poor wellbeing.

With the term ‘workplace wellbeing’ being searched around 500 times a month by British people, it’s clear that much is misunderstood about work-life balance and wellbeing at work.

Work-life balance is the idea that all of us need time for both work and a social life. Your work-life balance includes how many hours you spend at work compared with how much time you spend doing things you enjoy outside of work.

Being unhappy at work can affect other areas of your life. If your job is bringing you stress and unhappiness it can leave you unmotivated, short-tempered and emotional. When not addressed, your emotional wellbeing suffers and even your physical health can suffer because of it.

The Mental Health Foundation says work-related stress already costs Britain 10.4 million working days per year. Further stigma around talking about mental health in the workplace costs UK employers between £33 billion and £42 billion a year.

But starting a conversation about mental health in the workplace doesn’t have to be difficult; you could meet a colleague for a coffee, ask your co-worker how they’re doing or go to lunch together and have a chat.

Remember, work is just one part of life - albeit an important part. If you’re stressed and unhappy at work but aren’t able to take time off or change jobs, there are other things you can do to help better equalise the balance between work and social life.

Try scheduling out time at the start of the week to include activities that can help you relax. Make sure you have some things that you can look forward to outside of the office, like meeting up with friends for a catch-up, going to the gym, or taking an evening after work to do something nice for yourself.

Learning to say no and establishing boundaries between work and home life is important to maintaining your wellbeing. Working extra hours and checking emails out of the office may seem like a way to excel at work; however, it can quickly become a bad habit that intrudes upon your personal life. You shouldn’t be expected to work unpaid or out of working hours, so if there’s something that needs your attention, leave it until the next morning.

Finally, making your health a priority is perhaps the most important step you can take. No one wants to constantly call in sick; however, pushing through if you’re stressed, ill or burnt out will only cause more damage. If you’re not sleeping or getting a lot of headaches, it might be time to speak to your GP. Make sure your employer knows how you are feeling and is aware of the effect your workload and long hours are having on you. Together you should be able to create a more manageable plan for your workload.

Survey conducted by the Chartered Accountants Benevolent Association, which supports the wellbeing of chartered accountants.