Finance professionals like nothing more than spending half an hour a day gossiping with colleagues, a survey has revealed.

The report, commissioned by Mars Drinks Office Connections, revealed that among finance workers, family is the top topic of conversation closely followed by celebrity tittle tattle and then that most British of obsessions, the weather.

AccountancyLive readers certainly enjoy following the slings and arrows of outrageous celebrity fortune.

Some of the most clicked on stories of the past few months include pop diva Rihanna suing her accountant, an EastEnders star's dad jailed for a £500k fraud, the bankruptcy of Westlife singer Shane Filan, and Usain Bolt's criticism of UK tax law.

Other hot topics cited by the 2,000-strong pool of respondents include food, relationships, money, children and health issues.

Bizarrely, just over half (51.78%) of financial professionals think it is acceptable to put kisses on the end of work related emails and more than two thirds (68.7%) believe it is OK to add smiley faces or other emoticons.

A third of financial professionals confessed that they had told a colleague a secret in the past and two thirds said they enjoyed gossiping about other people they worked with.

While those working in the financial world enjoy a good natter, over half (55.62%) say technology has not made communicating in the office any easier. Two fifths prefer to chat face-to-face with colleagues, while almost a third opt for email.

Two fifths believe the office has become a much less formal place and a third say they have more fun at work now than they ever did before.