Maintaining a healthy work-life balance has become a growing priority for UK small to medium-sized business leaders, but achieving it isn’t always straightforward. From workload and staffing challenges to the rise of AI and flexible ways of working, a wide range of factors influence how leaders manage their time and wellbeing. The workplace itself also plays an important role, with flexible office spaces increasingly helping businesses improve collaboration, reduce stress, and create healthier working environments.
To find out what 161,741 opinions of small to medium-sized business leaders in the UK were about work-life balance, we utilised AI-driven audience profiling to synthesise insights from online discussions over 12 months, ending on the 7th July 2026, to a high statistical confidence level. The results reveal what SMB leaders are saying about work-life balance and the trends shaping their experiences.
Sourced using Artios from an independent sample of 161,741 opinions of small to medium-sized business leaders in the UK across X, Quora, Reddit, Bluesky, TikTok, and Threads. Responses are collected within a 95% confidence interval and 5% margin of error. Results are derived from what people describe online, from opinions expressed, and not actual questions answered by people in the sample.
84% of small to medium-sized business leaders work between 40 and 49 hours every week, 15% work between 60 and 69 hours a week, and 1% work more than 70 hours weekly
Average weekly hours show set patterns:
Statista reports that in Q1 2026, 60.1% of employees in the UK worked 31-45 hours per week, while 13.8% regularly worked over 45 hours per week. However, our small- to medium-sized business leaders paint a different picture, with longer working weeks emerging as the norm.
Working between 40 and 49 hours dominates conversations online, accounting for 84% of small to medium-sized business leaders. A further 15% work 60-69 hours each week, indicating that extended working weeks remain common in this group. Just 1% describe working 70 hours or more, so exceptionally long weeks receive relatively little attention.
None of the conversations centred around working for either under 40 hours or between 50 and 59 hours. This absence of 50 to 59-hour working weeks indicates that rather than gradually increasing, working patterns appear to split between a standard full-time schedule and much longer working weeks. The fact that no one discusses working under 40 hours a week also shows just how many hours SMB leaders dedicate to their jobs.
For 82% of small to medium-sized business leaders, their team’s work-life balance is about the same as their own, while 18% are not sure how their work-life balance compares to their teams
Leaders and teams’ work-life balance seems similar:
Creating a healthy work-life balance requires more than just supporting employees. Small to medium-sized business leaders also need enough flexibility to manage their growing responsibilities while setting realistic expectations for their teams. This can be particularly challenging in smaller or newer businesses, where lean teams often mean employees take on a wider range of responsibilities and leaders wear multiple hats themselves.
Most of our audience believes their work-life balance closely matches that of their employees, with 82% describing their team’s balance in this area as about the same as their own. The remaining 18% are unsure how their team’s work-life balance compares with their own, suggesting that not every leader has clear visibility into how their employees experience work beyond day-to-day responsibilities.
Growth first is absolutely a priority over balanced for 9% of small to medium-sized business leaders, and 11% lean towards sharing this opinion, 7% leam towards balance and growth having equal priority, while it’s not really a consideration for 25%, and 8% agree that it depends on the quarter, but this is not the main focus for 28%, and definitely not the priority for 11%, regardless of which quarter they are in
The choice between balance and growth is split:
According to FM Magazine, only 18.4% of UK businesses achieve more than 80% of their aspirational growth goals within three years of setting them, emphasising how difficult sustained business growth is.
With this in mind, it’s understandable that 47% of small to medium-sized business leaders in our audience believe the balance between growth and work-life depends on the quarter. Within this group, 8% identify it as their absolute priority, 28% lean towards it, and 11% don’t view it as a priority.
Growth comes first for 20% of small to medium-sized business leaders, with 9% identifying it as their clear priority and 11% favouring it. Another 7% lean towards giving equal priority to both. By comparison, 25% don’t consider either of these the main focus, including 12% who say they’re not the main focus and 13% who definitely don’t view them as their top priority.
Evidently, our audience doesn’t share a single perspective on balancing business growth with personal wellbeing. Instead, almost half believe the right priority depends on the quarter, demonstrating that changing circumstances influence the balance between growth and work-life.
Staffing shortages are a significant barrier to work-life balance for 74% of small to medium-sized business leaders, and a minor barrier for 9%, while they’re not a barrier for just 2%; company culture is a significant barrier for 8% of leaders, and a minor hurdle for 4%, and 3% say their own habits cause a minor barrier to a better work-life balance, while financial pressure is not discussed in this context
Staffing shortages are the biggest hurdle:
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance isn’t always within the control of small to medium-sized business leaders. When businesses struggle with limited resources or insufficient staffing, leaders frequently take on additional responsibilities themselves, making it harder to delegate, take time off, or switch off at the end of the day.
Staffing shortages stand out by a considerable margin for our audience. 74% of SMB leaders identify them as a significant barrier to work-life balance, 9% as a minor barrier, and just 2% don’t consider them a barrier at all. This suggests that many business leaders are filling operational gaps themselves, whether that’s covering shifts, managing recruitment, or taking on extra administrative and customer-facing work to keep the business running smoothly.
Company culture follows, with 8% regarding it as a significant barrier and 4% describing it as a minor one. A workplace culture that encourages long hours or constant availability can make it difficult for leaders and employees alike to maintain healthy boundaries.
“My own habits” account for 3%, with every leader in this group describing them as a minor barrier, highlighting that personal working styles play a role for some but are far less influential than broader organisational challenges. Financial pressure receives the least attention, with less than 1% identifying it as a significant barrier.
Global Recruiter found that 43.3% of UK employers don’t have enough staff to get the job done, closely mirroring our audience, where staffing shortages emerge as the biggest obstacle to achieving a healthier work-life balance. Evidently, for many small to medium-sized businesses, improving work-life balance isn’t simply a matter of better time management; it also depends on having enough people to share the workload effectively.
23% of small to medium-sized business leaders agree that financial pressure has a moderate impact on their work-life balance, and another 23% find that it has a slight impact, while 22% are unsure about the impact of financial pressure, 5% agree it has a major impact on their work-life balance and another 18% say it has some effects, yet 7% say it has no effect at all
Financial pressure has some impact almost across the board:
We saw above that none of our SMB leaders discussed financial pressure as being one of the biggest barriers to work-life balance, but here, it plays a much stronger role.
Amongst our audience, slight and moderate effects of financial pressure on work-life balance are equally common, with each accounting for 23%. Another 23% describe financial pressure as having a significant impact, including 18% who point to some effect and 5% who regard it as having a major impact.
Uncertainty is almost as common, with 22% of SMB leaders unsure whether financial pressure affects their work-life balance. Less than 1% describe its impact as minimal, making this the least common experience. Just 7% say financial pressure has no effect at all, putting them firmly in the minority.
The financial pressure of running a small- to medium-sized business often extends well beyond the company itself. It can influence every aspect of daily life, including leaders’ work-life balance. A recent study showed that 33% of SMB owners are losing sleep over the ability to pay staff, and 44% are kept awake by cash flow concerns. While not all leaders are automatically owners, knowing that these issues are ever-present can still cause considerable financial stress.
34% of small to medium-sized business leaders somewhat agree that their office space supports work-life balance, 16% strong agree their space supports this balance; however, 16% disagree that it’s somewhat supportive, and 18% disagree that it’s fully supportive of work-life balance
Not every leader’s office supports balance:
An office space that’s well-designed and provides a supportive environment can enhance productivity and encourage collaboration, and it can also impact work-life balance. The right workspace can reduce commuting stress by offering flexible locations, creating clear boundaries between work and home life, providing areas for focused work and social interaction, and giving employees greater flexibility in how they work. Together, these factors can make it easier to maintain a healthier work-life balance.
Of our audience, 34% agree that their office space is somewhat supportive of their work-life balance, and another 16% strongly agree that their office plays an integral role in helping to create this balance.
However, there are a greater number who do not find their offices supportive. 16% strongly disagree that their office supports their work-life balance, and they go as far as saying it is not very supportive, while 18% disagree that their office is fully supportive, and 16% disagree that their space is even somewhat supportive.
There’s clearly a gap here, and improving or changing offices would bolster this tenuous balance.
41% of small to medium-sized business leaders are very effective at delegating to protect their work-life balance, 23% are somewhat good at delegating, but 22% are poor at delegating and don’t protect their work-life balance, and 14% don’t delegate at all
Delegation is key to maintaining balance:
Delegation is one of the most effective ways for business leaders to protect their work-life balance, but it is often easier said than done. Many small to medium-sized businesses operate with lean teams, making it difficult to redistribute workloads without placing additional pressure on colleagues. For founders and business owners, there can also be reluctance to hand over responsibilities, particularly when they have built the business themselves or feel accountable for every decision. However, effective delegation can reduce stress, prevent burnout, free up time for strategic work, and help employees develop new skills and take greater ownership of their roles.
Despite these challenges, many leaders believe they are delegating successfully. Of our audience, 41% say they delegate very effectively to protect their work-life balance, while a further 23% believe they do so somewhat well.
However, delegation remains a challenge for a significant proportion of business leaders. Around 22% admit they delegate poorly, while 14% say they do not delegate at all. This suggests that many leaders continue to shoulder the majority of day-to-day responsibilities themselves, which can make it more difficult to switch off, maintain healthy boundaries, and focus on long-term business growth.
These numbers indicate that while many small to medium-sized business leaders recognise the value of delegation, there is still considerable scope for businesses to build stronger management structures and empower employees to share responsibility more effectively.
25% of small to medium-sized business leaders have tried using AI tools once to save time, 24% use these tools weekly to save time, 23% do so daily, and 22% use them occasionally, while 6% have never used AI tools at all to save time
AI time-saving is largely untapped:
Research shows that UK small to medium-sized businesses that use AI save an average of 5.2 hours every week, freeing up the equivalent of more than half a working day to attend to other priorities.
Among our audience of SMB leaders, 25% have tried AI just once to save time. However, a similar number use AI weekly (24%), and another 23% use it daily to create time savings. Yet, 22% rely on it occasionally, and 6% have never used AI to save time, creating a very even split on how many leaders are really using this technology, and how often.
While regular AI use is becoming increasingly common, many leaders seem to be only scratching the surface of what the technology can offer. Those who have only experimented with AI or use it infrequently may not yet have integrated it into their daily workflows, limiting the potential time savings it can deliver.
This leaves plenty of room for AI adoption, as it’s evident that almost half of leaders have not yet discovered just how much time it can free up when used efficiently. Alternatively, they may operate in industries where AI adoption is more limited, have concerns around accuracy or data security, or simply lack the time and resources to explore new tools. As AI capabilities continue to develop, wider adoption could play an increasingly important role in helping business leaders improve productivity while protecting their work-life balance.
32% of small to medium-sized business leaders rarely switch off after work, and 31% never switch off, yet on a more positive note, 17% always switch off after work, 12% switch off sometimes, and 7% do so often
Ability to switch off varies:
Leaving work behind at the end of the day isn’t always straightforward for small to medium-sized business leaders. Rarely switching off is the most common experience across our audience, accounting for 32%. Another 31% never switch off after work, meaning that almost two-thirds struggle to disconnect once the working day has ended.
By comparison, 17% switch off successfully, 12% manage to do so sometimes, and just 7% do so often.
The inability to switch off can have a knock-on effect on both wellbeing and business performance. Without adequate time to rest and recharge, stress can build over time, affecting decision-making, productivity, creativity, and overall resilience. Based on these figures, genuine downtime appears to be the exception rather than the rule, making it harder for many business leaders to maintain the healthy boundaries that a sustainable work-life balance depends on.
49% of small to medium-sized business leaders exercise between 1 and 2 hours a week, 42% exercise between 3 and 4 hours every week, and 9% exercise for 9 or more hours weekly
Exercise hours show positive trends:
Regular exercise does more than improve physical health; it can also reduce stress, improve concentration, boost energy levels, and support better sleep, all of which contribute to a healthier work-life balance. For business leaders juggling competing demands, taking time to exercise can provide a valuable mental reset and help prevent burnout.
The NHS recommends that adults aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week, alongside strength-building exercises on at least 2 days. Many business leaders in our audience appear to be incorporating some level of regular exercise into their schedules, although not everyone is meeting these recommended activity levels.
49% spend between 1 and 2 hours exercising each week, making this the most common routine. Another 42% dedicate between 3 and 4 hours to physical activity, while 9% spend 5 or more hours exercising each week.
It’s good to see that so many leaders recognise the importance of investing time in their own wellbeing and in their organisations.
41% of small to medium-sized business leaders model good work balance adequately, but 32% do so poorly, yet 22% say they model it very well, and just 4% say they do so poorly
Leaders are not all leading by example:
Healthy workplace habits are often learned by example, and the standards set by small to medium-sized business leaders can influence a company’s culture just as much as formal policies do.
41% of our audience describes their ability to model good work-life balance as adequate, and another 22% say they do so very well. At the other end of the scale, 32% consider themselves very poor role models for work-life balance, while 4% simply describe their approach as poor.
There’s not much middle ground. While most small to medium-sized business leaders are comfortable with the example they’re setting, more than a third take the opposite view, showing that perceptions of leadership in this area vary considerably.
39% of small to medium-sized business leaders’ outlook on balance for the next year is better, 15% feel it will be about the same, another 15% think their balance will be much better, but 15% fear it will be much worse, and the remaining 15% think it will be much worse
Future outlooks are divided:
Looking ahead, small to medium-sized business leaders have different expectations about how their work-life balance will change over the next year.
39% expect their work-life balance to improve, and another 15% anticipate that it will be much better. 15% think it will stay about the same, 15% expect it to become worse, and 15% believe it’ll be much worse.
These expectations come at a time when governments and employers are placing greater emphasis on protecting personal time outside of work. France introduced a legal “right to disconnect” in 2017, requiring larger employers to negotiate policies around out-of-hours work communications to help employees maintain clearer boundaries between work and home life.
Similar discussions are now taking place in the UK, where proposed right-to-disconnect guidance would encourage employers and employees to agree when work-related contact outside normal working hours is appropriate. While the UK proposals are less prescriptive than the French approach, they reflect a broader shift towards recognising that healthy boundaries are an important part of long-term wellbeing and productivity, while still allowing businesses the flexibility they need.
These findings show that achieving a healthy work-life balance remains one of the biggest challenges for UK small to medium-sized business leaders. Long working hours, difficulty switching off, staffing pressures, and financial uncertainty continue to shape the day-to-day reality of running a business. At the same time, many leaders are taking positive steps by delegating more effectively, embracing AI tools, prioritising exercise, and recognising the importance of creating healthier workplace cultures.
Our research also emphasises that there’s no single approach to balancing business growth with personal wellbeing. Instead, successful leaders appear to adapt their priorities as circumstances change while looking for practical ways to reduce pressure and improve productivity.
As expectations around flexible working, workplace design, and leadership continue to evolve, organisations that support business performance and employee wellbeing are likely to be better positioned for long-term success.
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