Mental Health in Professional Services: A Guide for Firms

Professional services firms run on the skill, judgement and energy of their people. Lawyers, consultants, advisers and support teams solve complex problems for clients, often to tight deadlines and high standards.

That same culture of long hours, billable targets and always being available can take a heavy toll. This guide is for partners, practice managers, HR teams and the brokers and consultants who advise them. It covers what the research says, the pressures your people face and the practical steps you can take to protect wellbeing and keep talented staff.

Mental health in professional services in numbers

LawCare’s Life in the Law 2025 research surveyed 1,541 people working in the UK legal sector and 82 legal organisations. It gives one of the clearest pictures of wellbeing in professional services. It found that:

• 59% reported poor mental wellbeing

• Half had experienced anxiety often, very often or all the time in the past year

• Nearly 80% regularly worked beyond their contracted hours, and 1 in 12 worked more than 21 extra hours a week

• A fifth had experienced bullying, harassment or discrimination in the past 12 months, most often from line managers or supervisors

• 72% of those affected said the behaviour wasn’t dealt with adequately

• 56% could see themselves leaving their workplace within five years, and 32% could see themselves leaving the legal sector altogether

• Of those who had experienced mental ill health, 24% told no one

• People aged 26 to 35 reported the lowest wellbeing and the highest levels of burnout

The research also found that 55% said their workplace had helpful wellbeing initiatives, such as employee assistance programmes. That shows support works when people know about it and use it.

The pressures professional services teams face

Billable hours and targets

Time-based targets can push people to work longer and take fewer breaks. When every hour is measured, rest can feel like lost productivity. LawCare found that only 31% of people with management duties had their targets adjusted to reflect time spent managing others.

Long hours and always-on culture

Client deadlines, global time zones and constant email make it hard to switch off. Working late and at weekends can become normal rather than the exception.

Client demands

Clients expect fast answers and high-quality work, sometimes at short notice. Difficult or demanding clients add pressure, especially for junior staff who feel they can’t push back.

Perfectionism and fear of mistakes

Professional services attract high achievers, and the cost of errors can be high. This can lead to perfectionism, overwork and anxiety about getting things wrong.

Pressure on junior and early-career staff

Trainees, associates and junior consultants often carry heavy workloads while trying to prove themselves. LawCare found that those aged 26 to 35 had the highest burnout levels.

Presenteeism and stigma

In competitive cultures, people may worry that admitting they’re struggling will affect their progression. Many keep going until they burn out, rather than asking for help early.

Warning signs to look out for

Partners, managers and colleagues are often the first to notice when someone is struggling. Signs can include:

• Working very late or at weekends as a matter of routine

• Missing deadlines or making more mistakes than usual

• Becoming withdrawn, irritable or quiet in meetings

• Seeming exhausted, or mentioning poor sleep

• Taking more sick days, or never taking holiday

• Talking about feeling overwhelmed, stuck or wanting to leave

• Drinking more at work events or relying on caffeine to get through the day

If you notice these signs, a private, supportive conversation is a good first step. You don’t need to have all the answers. Listening and pointing someone towards help can make a real difference.

Practical steps for firms

Rethink targets and workloads

• Review billable hour targets so they’re realistic and sustainable

• Adjust targets for people with management or business development duties

• Monitor workloads and redistribute work when people are stretched

Set healthy boundaries

• Agree reasonable expectations for responding to emails outside working hours

• Encourage people to take their full holiday allowance

• Lead by example, with partners and senior leaders taking breaks too

Train and support managers

• Give people managers training in mental health awareness and difficult conversations

• Recognise people management as part of performance, not an extra

• Make sure managers know how to signpost confidential support

Tackle poor behaviour

• Set clear standards for how people treat each other, including senior staff

• Make it safe to raise concerns, and act on them

• Support staff who deal with difficult or abusive clients

Support early-career staff

• Pair junior staff with mentors outside their direct reporting line

• Hold regular check-ins that cover wellbeing, not just work

• Make it normal to ask for help or say no to extra work

Offer flexible and hybrid working

Flexible and hybrid working can help people manage their energy, family commitments and travel time. Make sure it’s applied fairly and doesn’t become a reason to be online all the time.

How an EAP helps professional services firms

An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) gives your people confidential support at any time, including late at night when many professionals are still working. With Wisdom Wellbeing, your staff can access:

• A 24/7 confidential helpline for emotional, practical and financial support

• Short-term structured counselling with qualified counsellors

• Legal and financial information

• The Wisdom app, with self-help tools, wellbeing content and the Wisdom Academy e-learning courses

• Manager support and guidance on handling difficult conversations

• Critical incident support when something serious happens

Because it’s confidential and separate from the firm, an EAP can help people who wouldn’t feel comfortable talking to a partner or HR.

Why advisers recommend an EAP

Brokers, HR consultants and benefits advisers often recommend an EAP to their professional services clients. It’s a cost-effective way to support every employee, it works alongside private medical insurance and other benefits, and it gives firms a practical answer when clients, regulators or recruits ask about staff wellbeing.

Find out more about our EAP and wellbeing support for professional services. If you work with accountancy firms, read our guide to mental health in accountancy.

FAQs

Why is burnout common in professional services?

Professional services firms often have long hours, billable targets, demanding clients and a culture of always being available. LawCare’s Life in the Law 2025 research found that nearly 80% of legal professionals regularly work beyond their contracted hours.

How do billable hours affect mental health?

Billable hour targets can encourage people to work longer, skip breaks and feel that rest is unproductive. Over time, this can lead to stress, exhaustion and burnout, especially when targets aren’t adjusted for other duties.

How can law firms support junior lawyers’ wellbeing?

Set realistic workloads, provide mentors outside the reporting line, hold regular wellbeing check-ins and make it normal to ask for help. Giving junior staff access to confidential support such as an EAP also helps.

Why do brokers recommend an EAP to professional services firms?

An EAP is a cost-effective way to support every employee. It works alongside other benefits and gives firms confidential, 24/7 support for their people, as well as guidance for managers.

What does an EAP offer professional services firms?

An EAP offers a 24/7 confidential helpline, short-term counselling, legal and financial information, manager support and self-help tools through an app. It gives employees somewhere to turn whenever they need it, without having to go through their manager.

Sources

LawCare, Life in the Law 2025 (reported by Legal Futures)

Legal Cheek, Young lawyers face burnout as legal sector’s long hours culture bites, report finds