Workplace woes: The toilet trouble no one talks about

There really is no place like your own toilet.

It’s likely your preferred choice when you need to go. But with the average Brit spending over 36 hours per week at work [1], we don’t always have the luxury of using our very own porcelain throne when nature calls.

We decided to lift the lid on the UK’s shyness when it comes to using public and workplace toilets to see how it impacts people on a daily basis - and, spoiler alert, we’re a nation of ‘holders’.

Lifting the lid: Home is where the toilet is

We conducted a nationwide survey of 1,000 Brits on home vs public toilet habits, which unsurprisingly found that a landslide 99% of Brits say they feel most comfortable using their own toilet. The ideal ‘loo-cation’, you could say.

On the contrary, more than half (57%) of the UK confessed to feeling uncomfortable using the toilet at their workplace. That’s over 19 million people with the work toilet scaries [2] and over half of Brits spend 86 days per year feeling uncomfortable about their toilet pitstops at work [3].

 As a result, 2 in 5 Brits only use their work toilet when they are absolutely desperate and 13% avoid it altogether. 

The impact of a nation of 'holders'

 When people aren’t comfortable using the toilet at work, they’re holding it in. 

 Almost 60% of Brits admit to not using the bathroom and holding it in during the working day – a habit that’s doing real damage. Our survey uncovered that as a  result Brits are experiencing physical discomfort or pain, stress and anxiety and even health issues such as UTIs.

There's no shame in his game

Nearly two in five men confessed that they do a number two at work every day, whilst just a quarter of women say the same. In fact, 26% of women admit they never use the workplace toilet to do their ‘business’ compared to just 9% of men.

So, what’s driving the difference? For many women, it comes down to the fear of being judged or feeling embarrassed (57%), encountering colleagues (55%), and being overheard (54%). Even when health comes into play, the hesitation remains. 

Over 44% of women said they’re more likely to use the toilet at work while on their period, and 18% cited medical conditions, like endometriosis, yet the embarrassment and pressure of being “caught in the act” still outweighs the physical need for many women.

Our Poo-licy: Turning toilet breaks zen, one stall at a time

In our survey, Brits explained the reasons behind ‘holding’ at work, including being overheard, lack of cleanliness and being rushed. We hear ya.

That’s why we’ve created a Poo Policy, which can be seen below, addressing the UK’s main concerns when it comes to doing your business.

Methodology

OnePoll was used to survey 1,000 UK-represented participants from Thursday 20th March - Friday 21st March 2025. All survey responses were rounded to the nearest decimal place. 

The full data set is available upon request. 

Sources

[1] Stat on how long Brits spend at work per week 

[2] Stat on the number of people employed in the UK 

[3] Stat on how long UK full time workers spend in the office