Millions of workers confide in their colleagues rather than their partners, a study has revealed.

It found that, with two thirds of Britons feeling like they spend most of their lives at work, colleagues are turning to each other for a shoulder to cry on.

The report found more than a fifth of employees have recently confided in a colleague, while a similar number said they would turn to a workmate first.

It also emerged that workmates know at least five secrets about each other that their partners are unaware of.

In fact, 22 per cent of people say they feel closer to their colleagues than their other half, while almost a quarter say they get on better with co-workers on a day-to-day basis than they do with their spouses.

Sixty per cent of the 3,000 Britons polled by the ink-cartridge firm stinkyink.com believe that, as a result of spending so much time at work, it's inevitable that you forge strong relationships with your colleagues.

Half say they are sometimes so tired after a day at work that they rarely get time to talk to their nearest and dearest.

Surprisingly, one third of people said they turn to colleagues if they are having problems in their relationship.

And one in 20 said they confide in work mates 'very frequently' about personal matters.

It's no wonder then that 30 per cent of those polled said they regard the majority of their colleagues as true friends.

More than half said that they classed 'one or two' members of staff at their place of work as mates.

One in ten workers go out every Friday for a drink after work without fail and 11 per cent also regularlyhave work friends around for dinner.

As a result of the social events - 20 per cent said their spouse has become friendly with other employees' partners.

Six out of ten said the people they work with made work much more pleasurable for them.

(Read by Nelly Min. Nelly Min is a journalist at the China Daily Website.)

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(Agencies)