Irish workers are the fourth happiest in the world and the happiest in the European Union, according to a new study by recruitment website, Indeed.

In a city-by-city analysis Dublin ranked the highest in Europe for employee happiness, ahead of London, Stockholm and Rome, which finished second, third and fourth respectively.

In generating the ‘Indeed Job Happiness Index’ the firm analysed five different elements of job satisfaction: work-life balance, quality of management, office culture, job security and advancement, and compensation and benefits.

Colombia was ranked the best place in the world to work with Mexico and Russia entering at second and third.

The United Kingdom and the US languished at 22 and 23 respectively in the 35-country strong study.

The research shows that age demographics have a significant impact on employee happiness.

Japan ranks 26 and the median age is 45, whereas in Colombia and Ireland, the median age is 28 and 36 respectively.

Carpenters, builders, secretaries and childcare assistants were amongst the top ranking jobs for happiness in Ireland.

Meanwhile almost 75pc of Irish workers are working longer hours than they are contracted to do so according to a new survey by recruitment firm Morgan McKinley.

According to the ‘Working Hours Survey 2016’ almost a fifth of Irish employees work an extra three months per year, which works out at an additional 10 hours a week.

Even though 40pc said they were more productive when working overtime, 80pc said they weren’t compensated for working the extra hours.

Just under half of the 2,700 respondents said that flexible working arrangements would help them.

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