Technology is supposed to simplify work. Yet for millions of UK employees, workplace IT is now a major source of stress, even outside of working hours.
To mark Stress Awareness Month, WalkMe has released new research revealing the toll that poor digital experiences are taking on employee wellbeing, from mood swings at home to lost sleep, increased alcohol use, and even a desire to quit. The findings serve as a timely reminder that digital tools are now central to employee experience, and when they don’t work as they should, the consequences are personal, not just professional.
More Than Half of UK Workers Find Workplace IT Stressful
New data from WalkMe reveals that 56% of UK employees, or 19 million people, find workplace IT stressful. This isn’t just a productivity issue, it’s one that follows employees home.
According to the survey:
- 6.8 million (20%) report losing sleep or feeling anxious outside of work
- 3.4 million (10%) have had arguments with partners or family members
- 2.7 million (8%) have increased their alcohol consumption
- 3.4 million (10%) have considered quitting their job
The root cause? Employees are being overloaded with tech. Many are expected to juggle more than 100 software applications per week, creating daily friction that leads to burnout.
“Stress at work doesn’t exist in a vacuum, it affects employees’ mental health, families and ultimately, whether they stay in their roles.”
– Matt Pepper, Business Transformation Leader, WalkMe
The Impact on Career Progression and Work-Life Balance
Beyond emotional and physical health, digital stress is also affecting career advancement and work-life balance. WalkMe reports that:
- 35% of UK office workers regularly work late due to hard-to-use technology
- 25% believe tech issues have hindered their chances of a raise or promotion in the past year
When employees are staying late just to compensate for poor systems, and still feel blocked from advancement, it creates a clear signal that something in the employee experience needs to be re-evaluated.
The View from WalkMe
In an exclusive quote shared with Employee Experience Magazine, Adriel Sanchez, Chief Marketing Officer at WalkMe, comments:
“This data provides a timely wake-up call: technology that’s meant to make work easier is, in many cases, doing the opposite. We found that more than half of UK workers find workplace technology stressful, and many people are regularly forced to work late as a result of problems with IT, providing a really poor employee experience. People cannot be expected to be productive in this environment. It’s only a matter of time before they either leave or become complacently underproductive.
To put it plainly, we all know it’s not fun to use unintuitive software, but now we have data that shows that it’s also impacting employees’ stress levels and mental health even outside of work. Dealing with workplace technology for 8+ hours a day is making people feel anxious and even lose sleep. This survey has shown that there’s a human cost to poor digital experiences and this is something that companies can change.
WalkMe’s recent report, The State of Digital Adoption 2025, Special AI Edition, found that there are on average 625 applications in use across the enterprise, while executives believe this number to be only 37. That’s a 17x discrepancy. This gap likely explains why not enough is being done to reduce the digital friction and frustration employees are experiencing – leaders don’t have visibility into the extent of this problem. This is hindering organizations’ ability to manage their software investments, properly support digital transformation, and give employees a better digital experience. The solution lies in employers taking responsibility for getting visibility into the technology actually in use and guiding employees properly across workflows and applications to make their digital experience as smooth and productive as possible.”
Editorial Perspective: Why This Matters Now
For HR leaders, the message is clear, digital friction is no longer a side issue. It is central to how employees feel about their jobs, how they perform, and whether they stay.
Organisations invest heavily in digital tools and transformation projects. But when those tools slow people down, interrupt workflows, or feel unintuitive, the experience becomes demoralising. It affects mental health, family life, and productivity, all pillars of the employee experience.
Rather than continuously adding more tools, employers must evaluate what’s truly being used, where stress is building, and how to simplify the day-to-day experience for employees. Solutions like digital adoption platforms, training, better onboarding, and streamlined workflows can all help, but only if employers have visibility and a willingness to act.