The best time of the year for employers is nearly upon us, according to a new survey from Scotlight Direct.

As the clocks strike one this Saturday night into Sunday morning, they actually strike two and daylight saving time will be in operation.

You may have thought this just means an hour being cut off your weekend and the grand stretch in the evenings becoming even grander as the summer months approach, but apparently you should also prepare to put in more hours at the office.

A survey of 1,000 people in Ireland found that the average employee actually works an extra 1.2 hours a day after the clocks go forward.

Scotlight Direct reports that "it seems that when it's lighter, later, we’re more reluctant to make a dash for the exit than if it was dark".

Less than a quarter of those survey said they worked less during summer hours.

Meanwhile, some 28% of people are against daylight saving, for a couple of reasons.

Picture by: Elise Amendola/AP/Press Association Images

Resentment at having to start the day when it's still dark was the rationale for 72% of people. The remaining 28% said that the brighter evenings means they don't feel tired enough to stick to their standard bedtime.

Andrew Fraser, managing director of the online lighting retailer, said:

"It would seem that whilst many of us love the start of [Irish Standard Time], for obvious reasons, the time change isn't always a good thing!

"Clearly there is a link between the lighter evenings and the feeling of having to work longer because of it.

"Sometimes a cosy evening inside with the family is what you crave after a day at the office."

Last September, Turkey officially decided to stay on summer time all year round. The cabinet decree was made in a bid to better utilise daylight.

It also applies to the Ankara-backed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, splitting the island into two different time zones during the winter months.