A new survey has revealed that stress levels hit an all-time high when starting a new job. More than three-quarters of people questioned said it is more stressful than taking an exam, while others likened it to the anxiety of moving home or even the stress of breaking up with a partner.

The survey, commissioned by the recruitment consultancy Office Angels, reveals that today's fast-paced office life makes it harder for employees to adjust to a new environment. Five years ago, the settling in period for new employees was considered to be six weeks but this is now considered the minimum, with less than a third feeling in control of their duties or settled in during this period.

The results go on to suggest that office workers who feel welcomed and fully integrated into a new company in the first three months tend to stay with the company an average of two years longer than their less settled colleagues. So it is clearly in the interests of businesses to make sure each new employee feels comfortable with their new role as quickly as possible.

Being the new boy or girl can be a bit daunting and it is only natural that it will take a little while before you feel comfortable with the day-to-day workings of your new office.

But although those first few weeks may be stressful, companies can make life a bit easier for their new starters by laying on formal induction sessions to help them settle in.

If fact, induction sessions proved to be an important contributor to the integration of new staff, especially as simple office protocol can be a huge cause of stress for new employees. Things like whether you are allowed to leave your mobile phone on or how long you can take for lunch can all be cleared up with a quick induction session.

These sessions can help new employees adjust to their new office culture and reduce the settling-in period, saving the company time and money.

As office behaviour expert and psychologist Judi James explains: "A proper induction and support session is a huge win for everyone. No company wants forlorn or unhappy employees. Equally, people starting new jobs do so for new challenges and these challenges shouldn't be how to settle into the office.

"On a practical level, a short induction arms new starters with the simple but essential basics, but more importantly it makes staff feel valued and part of the team from day one."