In news that could strengthen the case for introducing home-based working practices, a recent study has shown that stress is considered the single greatest threat to employee health among Britain’s human resource (HR) professionals.

Health benefits firm HSA found that four in ten of the HR experts it polled are more concerned about employee stress than other issues, such as increasing workloads or obesity, reports Personnel Today.

A number of organisations have enabled their staff to operate from home in order to help them establish a better work-life balance and this option could be most beneficial for those in the public sector, where concern about stress levels among HR professionals is greatest.

Lee Nicholls, employer brand manager at HSA, commented: "Stress might not be the same type of concern as an accident in the workplace, but it should still be at the forefront of employer thinking on employee wellbeing."

Figures compiled by the Holiday Inn company recently showed that British adults work longer hours and take less holidays than those elsewhere in Europe.