According to a new survey by London-based consulting firm Grant Thornton International, business leaders in India and Argentina work the longest hours — up to 57 hours a week. The survey involved 7,200 respondents in 32 countries.

Grant Thornton said that with strong economic growth across Asia, more business people in the region reported an increase in stress levels. For instance, business people in Mainland China, Taiwan and India said they experienced more stress at work this year than in the previous year.

Kon Yin Tong, managing partner of Foo Kon Tan Grant Thornton, the Singapore unit of the group said that globalisation and increasing technological advances had increased the pressure on business leaders to "always be contactable".

"The challenge for business leaders is how to improve modern working practices to allow time to "switch off" from the strains of increasingly demanding business lives while remaining competitive."

The survey also identified Italians as working the shortest hours at 47 hours per week.

Top 10 countries with the longest working weeks (Average hours worked per week)

Top 10 countries where leaders reported higher stress levels this year compared to 2006