The Monster Employment Index UK rose one point to 129, continuing a three-month growth trend. The moderate increase in online job availability was driven by heightened demand for workers in the construction and extraction sector. Year-on-year growth for the Index now stands at 11 points.

According to new research by Microsoft, UK employees work an average of 39 days overtime a year. About 92% of office workers, however, acknowledge it's not due to workload. The most common reasons given were finding it easier to get work done when the office is less busy (47.4%) and the desire to be successful (21%). Rather than beavering away solidly, though, much of the day is taken up by distractions. For example, workers spend 54 minutes on the biggest distraction: surfing the internet. Sorting out PC pickles costs the nation 46 minutes every day in formatting documents or tackling the printer; 35 minutes of the day are spent gossiping with co-workers; 17 minutes is dedicated to making sure the cup of tea is brewed just right; even the most dedicated worker spends 14 minutes in the loo; and staring out of the window rather than at the PC makes up 18 minutes of our day. Take the test at www.thenew9to5.co.uk to discover whether you are an office grafter or an office waster.

34% of graduates expect to earn more than £50k per year after 10 years, while 19% believe that they will be earning between £40-50k a year, according to a survey carried out by P&MM and Pareto Law, a graduate recruitment consultancy. Half of graduates would like — and expect — to retire before they are 60.