Most people in Britain find themselves working in their spare time, with only one in five enjoying work-free weekends, according to new research.
A survey of 932 employees by employment law firm Peninsula and recruitment firm Portfolio Payroll found that more than eight out of ten employees take work home with them and almost three-quarters have put in extra hours on Saturdays and Sundays to catch up with deadlines.
In the light of these figures, it is perhaps unsurprising that Portfolio found earlier this year that a similar number of people – including three-quarters of bosses - admit to 'pulling a sickie' so that they can take a day off work.
Danny Done, managing director of Portfolio Payroll, warned that a seven-days-a-week work culture was detrimental to work-life balance and risked increasing employee stress levels.
"The survey shows that employees are spending more time in the office trying to catch up with deadlines and treating work as a priority. This is good for business, however, it can have a detrimental effect on employees.
"Employers need to be careful that employees are not over worked, and that they do not fall victim to stress."