News agency Ananova reports today that around half a million people are believed to be suffering from stress or a stress related illness and that some 150,000 people have had at least a month off work from stress.

Workers between the ages of 35 and 44 showed the highest levels of stress with the problems increasing with the amount of time that they stayed in the job.

The Health and Safety Executive has issued new guidance to firms in the battle to tackle the issue which is estimated to cost British Industry some £370 million a year.

Elizabeth Gyngell, an HSE official said: "Work-related stress is a huge occupational health problem, inflicting a heavy toll both in terms both of financial cost and human suffering.

"We recognise there is considerable pressure in the modern competitive workplace, but there is a difference between the buzz people get from doing a busy job and staff simply being unable to cope with the strains placed upon them. A burnt-out workforce is an unproductive workforce."