For many corporate high-flyers, the fear of not being able to get another job following a career break looms so large they quickly dismiss the idea.

Still, with mental health and burnout now key considerations among workers, 55 per cent of Australian employees say they are more willing to take a career break than they were five years ago, to focus on mental health, family, personal development or passion projects, or to reevaluate career plans, research from Robert Half shows.