Employees are spending half a day more at work than five years ago, according to new research.
The findings, released today by employment law firm Peninsula, also showed that the working week is one day longer than it was a decade ago, while men are working longer hours than women.
The research found that 36 per cent of employees work in excess of 48 hours per week, with 96 per cent of those doing so out of choice. In 1997, only 26 per cent of those surveyed worked over 48 hours, with the figure rising to 30 per cent in 2002.
Alan Price, head of HR business practice at Peninsula, said: “Working longer hours can put a strain on personal life and it’s ideal if businesses can offer increased flexibility working. However this may be easier for larger companies to implement but not necessarily the case for smaller firms who will struggle to juggle staff and labour costs and ensure productivity is not compromised.”
He added that, where possible, employers should try to adopt family-friendly working time measures, such as flexi-time, emergency family leave and part-time work. “Importantly, employers should monitor the number of hours worked to ensure staff do not work excessive hours.”
