The average working week is half a day longer than it was five years ago, research by Peninsula has found.

Figures by the employment law firm show that employees spend half a day more in work than they did in 2002 and a day more than they did a decade ago.

The findings also show that 36% of employees work more than 48 hours a week, and that 96% of those do so out of choice. In 1997 only 26% of those polled worked over 48 hours a week.

Alan Price, head of HR Business Practice at Peninsula, says: “Flexible working is not something that is evident in our figures; it seems that the working week is getting longer, with an increase in people spending more time at work.

“Working longer hours can put a strain on personal life and it is ideal if businesses can offer increased flexibility working…. The myth that employers force their staff to work longer hours should be dismissed, as people do so out of choice.”

Price urged employers to adopt family friendly working time measures such as flexi-time, part time working and emergency family leave.
The survey polled 2,334 workers from a cross-section of industries across the UK. The same survey was carried out in 1997 and 2002.