WORKED UP - THE DEATH OF THE NINE TO FIVE WORKING DAY

The traditional nine to five working day is dead, it emerged yesterday (25th May) as research, conducted by food brand Merchant Gourmet, found that the average Brit slogs it out for more than nine hours a day with just a 33 minute lunch break. Heavier workloads mean that the typical employee is now sat at their desk by 8.28am and won't leave the office until 5.29pm. One in five blame this on pressure from bosses or the fear of looking bad in front of colleagues. All this hard work means that Brits are grafting for five hours a week more than their contracted hours, the equivalent of 33 working days a year or FOUR YEARS** over their working life. Clive Moxham, Sales and Marketing Director for Merchant Gourmet, said: “It appears that Brits are working harder than ever. Overtime is now a part of our daily routine, working through breaks is commonplace and by the time we’ve travelled home and settled down for the evening we’re exhausted. “As a food brand, we were particularly interested to see how these habits were affecting our health and diet. And, as the results show, it’s clear that pushing ourselves at work can have a detrimental effect on our personal lives. “We’re spending almost 12 hours a day in ‘work mode’ and this is affecting our diets, our health and our ability to unwind.” The survey found that workers wake-up on average at 6.40am and by 7.41am they have already started to think about the day’s stresses, meetings and projects they face. One in three workers are regularly at their desk before 8am in order to keep on top of their work and half of those surveyed said that they simply wouldn't get the work done if they stuck to 'normal' hours. Meanwhile, a quarter of workers sweat it out hoping for a pay rise or promotion. Three in ten of the 4,000 people polled have prioritised work over eating and a quarter feel that their health is suffering because they are working too hard. In fact, Brits are so hard at work that one in five end up having breakfast in front of their computer and one in six plod on with daily tasks while munching through their lunch – one in 14 don’t stop for lunch time at all. Continued Clive: “We were shocked to see how much our eating habits had changed as a result of the longer working day. “Almost half of us don’t sit down for breakfast at home anymore. 62 per cent won’t leave the office during lunchtime and over half of us admit to having skipped an evening meal altogether because it’s too late to cook by the time we get home. ''However, it was encouraging to see that as many as 57 per cent of respondents still cooked the majority of their evening meals from scratch. And, despite the demands of their working day, consumers still manage to find 25 minutes each night to prepare food. “We had expected takeaways to be the most popular choice for coping with longer working hours. However, only 6 per cent of respondents regularly opted for takeout meals. “We put this down to the growing number of ready to eat products, like ours, that are available in the supermarket. These time-saving products can save you hours in the kitchen and they provide a wholesome alternative to traditional fast food.” The survey also revealed that it can be as late as 8.05pm before the nation’s workforce settle down for dinner, a full hour and a half later compared to the average mealtime two years ago. This could be attributed to the fact that a quarter of those surveyed said they take work home with them – such as reading emails, sorting paperwork and preparing themselves for the next day. And, after household chores, looking after kids and cooking dinner, the average Brit won’t properly switch off from work until 7.18pm. One in six said it’s far too easy to reply to an email with Blackberries or laptops and one in eight are addicted to their work. One in ten even feel guilty for not working. Brits are also faced with an average 21 mile round trip commute which takes over an hour each day and sees them fall through the front door just after 6 o’clock. Despite running themselves into the ground, seven in ten Brits did say that they enjoyed their job. **Working life was calculated: 18-62.5 is 44.5 years , multiplied by 33 equals 1468 days or four years. ENDS 27th May 2010 Issued on behalf of Merchant Gourmet by Public. For further information please contact Rebecca Mann rebecca.mann@publicgroup.co.uk (01302 730 303 or 07743 417093) and Liam Grady liam.grady@publicgroup.co.uk (01302 730303). Notes to Editors: • About Merchant Gourmet Merchant Gourmet was started by Mark Leatham in 1985, sparked by his passion for quality ingredients that will make all the difference to any meal. Today, the brand supplies over 40 products to supermarkets up and down the country, from Porcini Mushrooms to Roquito® Peppers, all of which meet the company’s criteria for ease of use and outstanding taste. Details for all of these products, exclusive recipes and further information about Merchant Gourmet can be found at www.merchant-gourmet.com.