The working week for many workers is being extended to 55 hours a week because of the rise in remote working through mobile phones and other devices, according to research by employment law firm Peninsula.

The increased availability of mobile devices that allow staff to work while away from the office has assisted small business owners by making their workforce more flexible, but there is a danger that employees never switch off completely from work.

"Employees should be encouraged to take appropriate rest breaks if they do choose to continue working out of hours. Having a well rested employee with a good work/life balance is a lot more useful than a tired employee that put one too many hours in the night before," said managing director of Peninsula Peter Bone.