A majority (70%) of UK businesses believe employees have too much power, according to research by The Tenon Forum.

Legislation governing paternity and sexual orientation rights have shifted the balance of power too far in the favour of employees it found.

Director of business at Tenons, Michala Johns, says: “Entrepreneurs are broadly in favour of measures which protect employees, but our findings show that they feel under pressure from increasing workplace legislation.

“The government must be wary of developing the kind of stringent employment laws which have strangled many businesses on the Continent and instead build a climate which enables entrepreneurs to flourish.”