Workplace strain and prevention in the DACH region 2026

The figures at a glance

Five key findings

The results paint a consistent picture: high strain is visible, prevention measures exist in many places, yet noticeable relief often fails to materialise. Five findings stand out.

1. The strain is clearly visible.

65.8 % rate their stress level at 7 to 10. 51.8 % regularly work beyond their usual hours. 21.6 % often or almost always look ahead to the coming work week with an uneasy feeling.

2. Measures are widespread, relief rarely arrives.

66.3 % know of prevention measures. Of the 161 people who could assess their effect, only 14.3 % report a noticeable reduction in their strain. 62.1 % experience none.

3. Between speaking up and changing something lies an implementation gap.

65.9 % can raise the issue of overload without fearing negative consequences. Only 36.8 % experience their workload, priorities or ways of working actually being adjusted afterwards.

4. Employees see the greatest leverage in how daily work is designed.

49.7 % name adjustments to processes and collaboration as particularly helpful, 48.0 % a regular review of priorities and workload. Better support for individuals comes last, at 18.9 %.

5. Leadership is a lever, and is itself under pressure.

51.0 % see scope for their manager to influence strain, but only 36.0 % experience them recognising limits early. 77.6 % of the leaders in the sample rate their own stress level at 7 to 10, compared with 55.9 % of employees without leadership responsibility.

What this means for companies

• Individual measures remain important. What matters in addition is what actually changes in day-to-day work as a result of a measure.
• An open culture of dialogue is the precondition, not the outcome. Effective relief requires concrete organisational responses.
• Look where the strain arises: workload, priorities, processes, collaboration and leadership.

About the methodology

Survey period 8 July to 14 September 2026. 411 questionnaires started, 317 fully completed, of which 302 from Germany, Austria and Switzerland were included in the analysis. Open, self-selected convenience sample, anonymous and voluntary. The survey was conducted in German and the report is published in German. The results describe the experiences of the people surveyed and are not representative of all employees in the DACH region. All figures are based on self-reports; cause-and-effect relationships cannot be established.

If you would like to apply these results to your own organisation, or take a closer look at the gap between prevention measures and actual relief in your company, I would be glad to hear from you: info@unburnt.ch