A recent press report about a young, successful, well-educated young lawyer apparently taking his own life as a result of the stress he felt under due to work pressure really made me think. He was working for one of the leading, "Magic Circle" legal firms in London with a seemingly bright future. He was well paid, compared with normal salary ranges and had the potential for extremely high earnings in the future if he saw it through. Along with a select number of other industry sectors, especially in and around the City and Wall Street, there is a pervasive "macho" culture of long-hours and high workloads in these firms. Although there are a number of people who deny that this is the case, there are many more who talk about it! Indeed, there would seem to be many who thrive on this environment - but, at what cost to themselves and those around them? Certainly, some of the organisations I have worked with over the years do appear to value the individuals who are willing to sell themselves body and soul for the corporate pound (or dollar!) It was reported that he, and several colleagues, had spoken with senior partners at the firm about their concerns around workloads and long hours, so it was an issue for them. On the face of it, the people who apply to work in these organisations know what it will be like, or have at least some idea. They will probably also have the personality which fits with the driving, achievement-oriented culture - the classic "Type A"! The appeal of the potential earning power and lifestyle is seductive. However, there is a difference between what we imagine something to be and the reality when in a situation. For many this is where the problem with stress starts. This scenario is not just the province of the "Magic Circle" of law firms, it applies to many professions and industries. Maybe, not all have the promise of large six-figure salaries, but there is usually some perceived pot of gold at the end of their rainbow!

Without dwelling on the sad circumstances of the individual mentioned above, there is growing evidence that more people are feeling the pressure build-up in their jobs. The legal profession is one of those where this is the case. A helpline service set up specifically for lawyers (in Scotland), Lawcare, has reported an increase of 70% in calls over the last 2 years with around two thirds being for stress and depression.

The cultures of many organisations make this situation worse. The expectation of long hours, total commitment to the organisation, demands for results, and promised carrot of what might be all combine to create this "hot house." This can occur in many sectors and is not unique to professional services. Many coming in to these organisations can find this environment stimulating and exciting initially. They find themselves drawn in, and spending what little free time they have with their colleagues, typically in the "work hard, play hard" mode! They do not switch off from work. They do not have any real "down time" or enjoy relaxing. To compound this, the organisation's review process and promotion criteria are often influenced by the visible commitment shown in terms of hours worked, fees generated etc. Genuine interest in the individual as a person and supportive leadership might be present, though it can be hard to see. Or they may well be lacking in the pursuit of business growth, revenue and profit!

Within the UK it is estimated that the workforce put in £23 billion (yes, billion!) of unpaid overtime. This averages out as each employee effectively giving their employer £4,800 based on an average income and nearly an extra working day per week! There is a view that if the high fliers, in their early years, worked out their average hourly income, including all the additional hours they put in, they would find that they are not as well paid as they might think! At one level, being willing to work the bit longer when necessary is a good thing, provided the employers do not take advantage of their employees generosity. At another, it can be a concern as it might become a habit - for both parties.

Working long hours can be counter-productive for all parties. People working long hours become stale, their quality of work and decision making will deteriorate, their relationships will suffer. In general, the lack of balance brought about by getting caught in the long hours syndrome is likely to be a key contributor to becoming stressed. If this then leads to a serious stress problem requiring time off work or even more supportive treatment then it really should be addressed.

Whether you are an employer, manager or employee you need to consider this. As an employer or manager, what are your expectations of people's working hours? Do you make unreasonable demands for people to stay late, take work home or work over weekends? (Especially, if not telling them to take time off to make up for this.) Do you get uptight if someone is leaving on time or says they cannot do what you want in the timescale? Are you a poor role model yourself with the hours you work? I have lost count of the times when working with organisations that I have heard of bosses phoning people in the evenings, at weekends or on holidays asking for information or updates - and expecting them to be happy to go along with this!!

If you are an employee, do you and your colleagues collude with this culture? Do you take on extra work without checking what the implications might be for your own workload or life outside work? Do you feel you will be thought less of if you leave on time or say you cannot do something? How often do you feel that you are letting down your family, friends or loved ones, because of needing to work late or at weekends? Remember, you are the one who is choosing to do this!

Is it worth the cost? Ask yourself, what is it you really want from your life? Think through your own values and priorities now and in the medium term. (Ask "what is important to me in my life?") It can be useful to write these down and take some time to reread them. Assess how well you are achieving these at the moment? If you are in a work environment which is making high demands on your time and your life, consider whether this is really worth it. Is it causing you to feel pressurised? Do you want to change things? The solution lies within you - are you willing to do something before it gets too bad?