Over half of HR professionals are happy in their jobs despite their biggest bugbear being computers and printers crashing, according to a study commissioned by Mars Drinks UK.

An unofficial ‘office census’ has created a detailed breakdown of a day in the working life of British office workers, right down to the number of emails they send and receive, how many cups of tea or coffee they drink, and how much they spend on their daily commute.

Researchers for Mars Drinks UK quizzed 2,001 male and female office workers across Britain in order to draw up thedetailed study, including employees in marketing, finance, creative, HR, legal and IT sectors.

The good news for HR bosses is that almost 60% of HR professionals told researchers they were happy in their job, and only 5% said they hated where they worked.

The daily commute begins at 7.37am, which lasts on average for 30 minutes and 55 seconds. The majority (47.65%) drive to work but a fifth enjoy walking or catching the bus to the office. The first conversation with a colleague happens at 8.17am, just 10 minutes after arriving at work, and the first cup of tea or coffee is consumed some 12 minutes later at 8.29am.

Lunch begins at 12.35pm and lasts for 28 minutes and 59 seconds, but over half (55.03%) eat lunch at their desk, with just nine per cent ever venturing outside to get some fresh air while they digest.

The survey also found that an average employee in the HR profession splashes out £3.50 on their lunch, compared to the average office worker who spends £3.29.

Throughout the day, HR workers receive 35 emails and send 27, make 20 phone calls and answer 25 and drink an average of three cups of tea or coffee.

IT issues are the biggest office irritant, including computers and printers inexplicably crashing, followed by irritating colleagues, and those who gossip when they should be working.

A fifth of HR workers get most annoyed when the air conditioning is too cold, and one in 10 see red when the office coffee machine is on the blink.

The commute home begins at 5.05pm and takes an average of 33 minutes and 39 seconds and costs £4.08 daily. HR professionals told researchers they had been in their current position for an average of five years and six months, compared to the national average of six years and nine months.