Some 42 per cent of UK employees say they cannot switch off from work when they leave, according to a survey of 2,000 UK respondents by serviced office operator Business Environment.

One in five employees now work remotely once a week, while 27 per cent work from their bedroom or lounge, as opposed to a dedicated home office.

David Saul, managing director of Business Environment, warns that the UK is becoming a ‘culture of hyper-connnectivity’.

‘Work is now only a smartphone away. Although this enables us to respond to client emails and calls when and where it suits us, we risk being unable to tear ourselves away from the workplace,’ he says.

Some 46 per cent of respondents believe it’s acceptable to use their business phones and emails to run their personal lives.

However, 24 per cent of respondents do not support the growth in mobile technology, saying that they feel isolated from work colleagues as a result.

Saul suggests the Royal Wedding bank holiday is a ‘poisoned chalice’ for the UK’s workforce and predicts that many employees will feel compelled to work at the weekend.

He adds, ‘While it is great that the UK plc is supporting the royal wedding, the harsh reality for many is that they still have just as much work to do in the week – just less of a working week to complete it in.’