Estate agents body Propertymark says it is “paramount” that the industry puts greater emphasis on the wellbeing of staff working in the sector.

Propertymark interim chief executive Nathan Emerson says: “It’s paramount for the industry to catch up with others and put more emphasis onto the wellbeing of those working in our sector.”

“The recent boom is compounding this and bringing the issue into the spotlight.”

Emerson’s comments come amid Mental Health Awareness Week and at a time of intense pressure as staff rush to complete sales ahead of the end of the stamp duty holiday, which after an extension, ends on 30 June.

The body, which regulates over 6,900 firms, says staff are struggling under “12-hour days and pressure to reach monthly, weekly, and even daily targets”.

Propertymark vice president David Votta adds: “Staff need to be supported by management to prioritise their workload and keep some professional boundaries, the temptation in a competitive market to skip lunch or work late will see staff getting burnt out and no longer performing at their best.”

Votta says: “Employers have a responsibility to lead the culture within their organisations; in the busy market we are seeing now on both lettings and sales, there is an increased pressure which is not helped by the setting of unrealistic or unachievable targets.”

Earlier this week, a study found that brokers worked more hours, under greater stress, with little company support throughout the pandemic, according to Crystal Specialist Finance.

Around 17.5% of advisors said their “mental wellbeing” was an issue of concern, up from 7% in August 2020, says the specialist distributor’s second Health and Wellbeing Survey for the intermediary sector.

It also found that those working over 45 hours per week increased to 66.2% from 62.1% a year ago.

The government’s Working Time Directive states that staff should not work more than 48 hours a week on average, certain jobs aside, over a 17-week period.

Exemptions include such jobs as the armed forces, the emergency services, seafarers and domestic servants.