UK staff are working the longest hours in Europe, with some employees putting in more than 70 hours a week, research reveals.
One in four people still work 50 hours and a nearly 20% put in up to 59 hours, compared with 15% in Germany and France.
The survey of 2,600 employees in the UK, the US, Australia, Germany and France, by office supply firm Esselte, shows that more than a third of UK workers also take work home in the evening and at weekends.
Mike Patterson, UK marketing director at Esselte, said: “Our research reveals the UK to be an extremely industrious nation. Staying late to get things done is a fact of life in the modern workplace.
“By also taking work home though, we run the risk of upsetting a healthy work-life balance.
“We’re already working hard and now need to focus on working smarter, by improving levels of organisation which can help cut corners and save time.”
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The TUC said people who regularly work excessive hours are jeopardising both their physical and mental health.
It said the Esselte survey shows why the UK’s opt-out from the EU limit of 48 hours a week should be scrapped.
