MORE than 90 per cent of office staff believe that talking at work contributes to better performance, according to a new survey.

Talking over personal relationships, problems at work and home life apparently allows office workers to take a break and see work- related problems in a new light.

The survey commissioned by Calor Gas, found that staff spend at least 45 minutes a day chatting to colleagues about non-work related issues.

But far from being a waste of time, such activity represents a valuable safety valve, allowing problems to be shared and productivity to rise, according to Calor's Paul Riding.

"We were surprised that people were so open about the amount of time they admitted talking about things which, on the face, were nothing to do with work."