An increasing number of employees may be working longer hours at serviced offices in Northampton in a bid to help secure their job.
Michael Scutt, solicitor and partner at specialist employment law practice Dale Langley & Co, explained how "self-preservation" is the motivation for many individuals.
He described how the recession has only entrenched the British culture of working long hours.
"Many employees probably don't want to draw attention to themselves by insisting on 'their rights' if it might lead to them being selected for redundancy later on," Mr Scutt stated.
It was suggested that the rise in people carrying out unpaid overtime goes against claims that it is becoming increasingly difficult for employers as staff assert their legal rights.
His comments follow recent statistics from the Trades Union Congress that showed last year a record 5.26 million individuals worked longer hours for no money.
The average additional time spent at the office was seven hours 12 minutes a week.
