Less work suits young executives

THE YOUNGER generation of company directors works fewer hours than the older, dresses casually for work and is more likely to marry people of equal managerial rank.

This portrait emerged from KPMG's annual British Leadership survey, based on interviews with 201 company directors divided into the under-45s and over-45s. It showed under-45s work fewer hours and enjoy more time with family and friends than their elders, but still get the same amount of work done.

Although 60 per cent of the older generation work more than 55 hours a week, only 49 per cent of the younger generation do so. And the younger ones are less likely to arrive at work before 7.30am (13 per cent compared with 23 per cent) and less likely to drop into the office at the weekend (32 per cent against 44 per cent).

The survey says younger executives are increasingly forming "power couples" by marrying colleagues who hold similar positions, and that responsibilities at home were shared. Alan Buckle, the chief executive of KPMG Consulting, said: "This might explain why the younger ones work shorter hours. They have to get home earlier to do the household chores that the older ones would have got done by other means - ie, their wives would have done them."