Guaynabo, PR, October 1, 2026 – According to FlexJobs’® Workplace Frustrations Report, more than half (57%) of U.S. workers are regularly experiencing the Sunday Scaries, or the anticipatory anxiety or dread felt about the workweek ahead, including nearly one in four (24%) who said they experience it weekly.
The survey of over 2,100 respondents found that unfinished tasks and heavy workloads were among the most cited contributors to the Sunday Scaries. The report also explores broader sources of workplace frustration, from the red flags workers watch for when considering a new employer to the workplace traditions they would rather leave behind, offering a wider look at workers’ relationship to their jobs.
Almost One-Quarter of Workers Get the Sunday Scaries Every Week
For a majority of workers, feelings of unease, worry, and dread about returning to work on Monday are not uncommon. Overall, 57% said they experience the Sunday Scaries to some degree, including:
- 24% – Weekly
- 15% – A few times a month
- 18% – A few times a year
Among workers who experience the Sunday Scaries, the biggest contributors were:
- Workload or unfinished tasks – 14%
- Working with their manager – 10%
- Work-life balance – 9%
- Coworkers or team dynamics – 7%
“The Sunday Scaries can be an important signal about how someone is experiencing their work,” said Keith Spencer, Career Expert at FlexJobs. “When anxiety becomes a regular part of your weekend, it may be beneficial to look closer at what’s causing it, whether that’s an unsustainable workload, a difficult manager, poor work-life balance, or another aspect of your workplace.”
Team-Building & Camera-On Expectations Are the Top Workplace Traditions Workers Want Gone
FlexJobs’ survey also found that some workplace traditions intended to encourage connection may not always be welcomed by employees. When asked which workplace activities or traditions they secretly wish would disappear, respondents cited:
- Organized team-building activities – 26%
- Camera-on expectations for virtual meetings – 25%
- Meeting icebreakers – 21%
- Company happy hours – 18%
- Office small talk – 17%
- Office birthday celebrations – 14%
- Social Slack/Teams channels – 14%
- Company retreats or offsites – 14%
- Holiday parties – 9%
Additionally, many workers are also taking steps to avoid participating in meetings and activities entirely. Respondents said they have:
- Skipped an optional meeting or activity altogether – 19%
- Declined a social event without giving the real reason – 18%
- Stayed quiet in a meeting even if they had something to contribute – 18%
- Kept their camera off to feel less involved – 15%
- Said they had a scheduling conflict or another meeting – 12%
- Stayed on mute to avoid being called on – 11%
- Joined late or left early intentionally – 8%
- Let someone else take the lead or speak for them – 7%
- Used another excuse to avoid participating – 6%
- Pretended to have internet or technical issues – 6%
- Said they had too much work to participate – 6%
High Turnover, Negative Employee Reviews Biggest Red Flags to Candidates
Before workers even accept a job, they are already watching for warning signs. When asked what they consider to be some of the biggest red flags when researching a future employer, respondents cited:
- High employee turnover – 18%
- Negative employee reviews – 17%
- Frequent layoffs or financial instability – 12%
- Poor communication during the hiring process – 10%
- Lack of flexibility or remote work options – 10%
“Because job anxiety is heightened for so many workers, many are doing their homework before they ever even apply to an opening,” Spencer added. “Signs like turnover or a lack of remote flexibility are considered some of the clearest indicators of how a company actually treats its people, and workers are paying close attention.”
For more information, please visit https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/workplace-frustrations-report or contact Shanna Briggs ([email protected]).
Methodology: Demographic breakdown of the 2,142 respondents: Gender: women (71%), men (26%), prefer not to identify (2%), prefer to self-describe (1%); Generation: Gen Z (6%), millennial/Gen Y (27%), Gen X (42%), baby boomer (24%), silent generation (1%); Education: less than a high school degree (less than 1%), high school degree or equivalent (15%), some college but no degree (24%), associate’s degree (14%), bachelor’s degree (31%), graduate degree (16%); Career level: entry-level (13%), experienced (54%), manager (17%), senior-level manager (10%), executive (6%); 32 percent had children 18 or younger living at home with them. FlexJobs created the survey, which was promoted to general audiences and its subscribers/members primarily through social media and newsletters. FlexJobs used a multiple choice and multi-select question format via SurveyMonkey’s online platform. The survey ran from August 21-30, 2026.
About FlexJobs
FlexJobs’ work-from-home jobs site specializes in flexible, hybrid, and remote jobs, with over 135 million people having used its resources since 2007. FlexJobs provides the highest-quality database of vetted online job listings, from entry-level to executive, startups to public companies, part-time to full-time. To support job seekers in all phases of their careers, FlexJobs offers expert advice, events & webinars, and other resources. In parallel, FlexJobs works with leading companies to recruit the best remote talent and optimize their remote and flexible workplace. A trusted source for data, trends, and insight, FlexJobs has been cited extensively in top national outlets, including Business Insider, CNBC, Entrepreneur magazine, Fast Company magazine, Forbes magazine, Fortune magazine, HuffPost, Newsweek magazine, Scripps News, U.S. News & World Report, USA Today , Yahoo Finance, and many more.
