More than two thirds of Australians work more than 40 hours a week on a regular basis, a survey has found.

And NSW is the hardest working state; with almost 75 per cent of those employed agreeing that the 40 hour working week is dead.

The survey showed that Queensland had the country's second hardest workers, with Western Australia and South Australia not far behind.

Of the 1334 Australian respondents surveyed by human resource outsourcing and recruitment firm, Talent2, nearly 45 per cent also said they were putting in more hours at the office than they were two years ago.

Lara Karamian, director of LARAInc. events + runway shows, is among the growing number of Australians who think a 40-hour working week is only enjoyed by those with a part-time job.

The catwalk producer and event planner is currently involved in organising parades for Fashion Weekend Sydney, an inaugural event featuring designer sales, fashion and beauty stalls, styling tips and catwalk shows.

Karamian said despite the long hours, it's a great job and one she is passionate about.

"If I worked on billable hours like lawyers and accountants I would be a millionaire," Ms Karamian said.

"My days are long but I enjoy every minute of what I do."

Ms Karamian said the three-day event, held at the Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park, has involved a lot of hard work and little sleep.

She said: "I am the producer of the catwalk show so I handle everything from developing the set design to working with the designers and working out their hair and make-up teams."

The event planner will work with a team of volunteers, designers and event staff throughout the event, and is not expecting to be working eight-hour days.

But it's not just business owners who are putting in the hard yards - employees are also regularly putting in 50 hours a week or more.

Laura Mabikafola, General Manager of Talent2 Adelaide, said overtime was originally a way for employees to prove their worth and was done to increase the level of job security.

With a reduction in staffing levels, companies have had to become meaner and leaner, putting pressure on employees to work longer hours.

"Twenty or thirty years ago there was a perception that Australians were lazy layabouts with a beer in one hand and a TV remote in the other," she said.

"Today, workers from all over Australia are undeniably some of the hardest working people on the planet, with working hours comparable to those in any of the great international cities like New York, London or Paris."

The survey found the construction and engineering/manufacturing industries demanded the most hours from their employees, followed by the property sector, legal and HR.

Ms Mabikafola said the conventions of the modern workplace had changed, and the hours we work had become outcome-driven, rather than process-driven.

"Over the last few decades we have been conditioned to believe work does not just begin at 9am and finish at 5pm," she said.

"With the advent of the Internet, the Blackberry and mobile phones, work goes wherever we do, whenever that might be."