Are you a STOIC? Or more of a Wickie? According to new research, the answer will depend on how your working practices are influenced by your health and by modern technology.

A report from Professor Cary Cooper and health insurance provider Ellipse suggests that technological advances have created an "always on" work culture. This, coupled with low job security, says the study, has heaped pressure upon workers. The study showed that 80% of employees continue to work when ill, with damaging effects on productivity and health.

The phrase "squeezed middle" has become commonplace in discussions about income since the recession. Now it can be applied to the workplace too: research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has revealed that middle managers are feeling the squeeze as a result of the economic downturn.

As most graduates and university students will know, internships have become an increasingly useful stepping stone on the way to a good career. Research released this week has only confirmed this trend, revealing that over a third of graduate jobs go to candidates who have already completed work experience at the recruiting company.

The High Fliers study shows that, in 2012, employers are likely to offer 36% of vacancies to those who have already completed a placement with the firm.

With the UK's economic situation showing few signs of improvement and Britons clocking up billions of hours of unpaid overtime, a group of economists has proposed a novel solution: cutting the working week to 20 hours.

Are you working long hours for little or no reward? You're not alone. The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has revealed that workers in the UK put in nearly 2 billion hours of unpaid overtime in 2011.

Figures show that 1,968 million extra hours were worked in the last calendar year, at a total value of £29.2 billion to the economy. The TUC calculated that this is equivalent to a million extra full-time jobs.

Rising train fares mean that the average worker in the UK now spends 8% of their salary on getting to work, research has shown.

The data from the Hay Group shows that commuters in London spend the largest proportion of their salary on
travel overall, with the average standing at 17% for operative level workers. Manchester and Birmingham (both 14%) were not far behind, followed by Bristol and Leeds (13%).

With the explosion of social media, the importance of networking has increased dramatically, new research has found.

Face-to-face and social networking were used by 74% of the recruiters and HR managers surveyed by talent and career management consultancy Right Management.

LinkedIn topped the list of most useful social and professional networking sites for sourcing candidates, but Facebook was cited by over half the respondents as the second most useful site, demonstrating that social media networks and data sources are being used increasingly for professional benefit.

Developments in technology are also making their mark on the recruitment process. While just 17% of respondents stated they used video CVs, almost half said they would consider using them in the future.

Similarly, webcam and video technology is not used commonly in the selection process now, but 40% said its use was likely to increase in the next five years.

Nicola Deas, practice leader of career management at Right Management, said, “It’s critical, particularly in this difficult job market, that job seekers have support to develop the right skills and have access to the right opportunities to find employment.

“It’s never been more important to learn how to effectively network with peers – online and offline – as well as being able to create a great online profile with compelling messages that will get noticed by employers and recruiters.

"It’s not enough to have just to have a good CV today.”

Thomson Reuters today unveiled a list of the world's 100 most innovative organisations, with the USA accounting for 40 entries.

The list was based on a study of product patents. As well as volume, the authors of the report looked at success (how often a company's applications are granted), together with global reach and influence based on how often patents are cited in future applications.

The UK government has launched a consultation on “protected conversations” to assess how to enable employers and workers to discuss difficult situations without fear of legal action.

Under the current rules, employers who attempt to discuss performance or retirement issues can face potential discrimination claims from employees, because such subjects are often legal grey areas.

With the Olympic Games just eight months away, UK businesses have been urged to take advantage of the "open goal" on offer.

The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has this week urged businesses to prepare for the challenges, as well as the opportunities, that the Games will bring.