As many as one in five professionals work a full extra three months for free each year, a new study has found.

The survey of more than 2,700 employees shows 73 per cent of Irish professionals work longer than their contracted hours, with around one in five working as many as 10 extra hours a week.

The Morgan McKinley Working Hours Survey reveals that more than four out of every five respondents said they are not compensated for working over agreed hours. Moreover, 62 per cent of employees surveyed felt they had no choice but to work overtime.

Some 43 per cent of survey respondents felt they were more productive while working additional hours due to the lack of disruptions.

Nearly half of those canvassed said they believed flexible working arrangements would make their working lives easier. However, while 44 per cent of employees said there was flexibility around their start and finish times, just 36 per cent had the option of working from home. In addition, only 4 per cent of respondents said that remote working was formally offered as part of company policy.