Almost two out of five people stay late at work, with a culture of presenteeism being encouraged by bosses, a study shows.

Research by the totaljobs website found that one in three employers looked down on staff who left work on time.

Computer workers, human resources staff, accountants and teachers were among those most likely to work overtime, according to a survey of 1,000 workers and 250 employers.

Younger workers were most likely to feel pressured to work overtime, with three out of five 18 to 34-year-olds worrying their boss or colleagues might think they were not working hard enough if they left on time, said totaljobs.

Group marketing director Martin Talbot said: 'Presenteeism is becoming an ingrained part of British company culture, but working longer hours does not necessarily lead to greater output.

'Our research shows that over a third of employers believe that shorter working hours actually improve productivity.

'This, alongside the impact that poor work-life balance has upon morale and employee retention, explains why many employers are looking to take steps to ensure that their staff go home on time.'

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: 'Many working people are happy to put in extra hours from time to time, but it should be their choice and not imposed on them by the boss.'