One in four workers in the UK will work all day without taking a break, putting both their health and their business productivity at risk, according to research from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP).

The CSP suggests that the poor work habits revealed in the research, such as not taking sufficient breaks, working in the same position for extended periods, going to work when ill or stressed and not taking enough exercise, pose serious risks to health which can also cause huge costs for employers.

The UK wide survey for the CSP also showed that over a third of staff regularly work through their lunch break and nearly a quarter take no lunch break at all. Half of those who work through their breaks do so because they have too much work to do, while almost a third say it is because there is too few staff to cover the workload.

The CSP says UK workers are increasing their risk of chronic musculoskeletal disorders, obesity, cancer, depression and heart disease through poor working practices. Sickness absence and sickness presence, when staff come to work feeling unwell, is costing employers and society over £35bn every year in reduced performance and productivity, sick pay and benefits.

"These findings should ring alarm bells for employers. Employers should ensure their line managers have the people management skills to prevent pressure becoming stress and to identify the early warning signs if people are struggling to cope at work," said Ben Willmott, senior public policy advisor for the CSP.