Under 35s are more likely to be off work due to being ‘under the weather’, according to new research from recruitment outsourcing firm Elemense.

The research shows that under 35s are twice as likely as their older colleagues to be off work in the winter because they are ‘under the weather’ and were also twice as likely to stay late at work due to darker evenings.

Keith Sammons, managing director at Elemense, says: “We are now in the depths of winter. Days are just past their shortest and it seems a long time ago that we were enjoying the late summer bank holiday in August.

“Yet the popular view that an extra bank holiday is needed isn’t supported by our research - only 43% of workers argued for one and the under 35s were the least keen.”