Working hard and over-working are ‘very different’

People who are trying to balance their family and working lives need to be able to tell the difference between working hard and over-working, a society says.

Stress needs to be addressed because it does not just affect an individual, it can also impact on a business, the Law Society says.

According to a report by the Health and Safety Executive, work-related stress accounts for over a third of all new incidences of ill health.

Paul Marsh, president of the Law Society, said the society exists to help people identify the difference between working hard and working too much.

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"Stress in a job is not just a personal enemy – it is the enemy of good business and the best friend of mistakes," he added.

The report also revealed each case of work-related stress, depression or anxiety leads to an average of 30.2 working days lost.

According to research by Working Families, businesses should introduce a more transparent work allocation to help reduce stress in the workplace.