The stress brought on by a long working week and a lengthy daily commute is a significant cause of ill health in the UK but can be tackled in part by increasing employee flexibility, it has been claimed.
Operating from home can help reduce the stress that accounts for millions of days taken sick by British workers each year, insists Phil Flaxton, chief executive of Work Wise UK.

And with the average UK professional spending longer in the office and "far" longer travelling to and from their workplace each day compared with their European counterparts, Mr Flaxton is keen to see Britons reduce their stress levels by "working smarter".

He said: "Much of this stress is caused by outmoded working practices centred on work taking place at a central location, involving long commutes and inflexible hours, making it difficult for people to balance work with their social and family commitments."

The Health & Safety Executive suggests that in addition to reducing sickness absence in the workplace, a less stressed workforce will be more likely to operate more productively and be committed to their employer’s organisation.