Workers with heavy workloads tend to avoid taking breaks despite stress: study

Previous research has shown that breaks can benefit employee well-being and performance. — Getty Images

Heavy workloads make employees feel a greater need for a break, but new research finds they may actually discourage employees from taking breaks at work despite causing high levels of stress, fatigue and poor performance.

Researchers from the University of Waterloo found employees often kept working despite wanting to pause. One potential reason is employees may have felt pressure to continue working to get everything done on time.