According to a survey published this week, being married is more important than education or having a mortgage to service in helping the unemployed get back to work. The research found that married men are 33 per cent more likely to find a job after being made redundant than those who are single or divorced.

The study, by the Office for National Statistics and published in Economic & Labour Market Review, also revealed that being married was more important to finding work than having A-levels, which improved chances by 22 per cent, or a degree, which increased chances by 27 per cent. Having a mortgage also improved chances by 27 per cent. Presumably, this is because being married demonstrates commitment and a certain level of responsibility.

However, a survey of men – or women, for that matter – who are in work, especially those with high-earning jobs or who run their own companies would, I feel sure, yield a very different statistic. Namely, that divorce can actually be good for business.

Anecdotal evidence from our firm’s clients, many of them CEOs or holding other powerful positions, shows that when people are embroiled in divorce or separation they can take their eye off the ball. They may find it difficult to concentrate on their careers because their thoughts are elsewhere and they need to take time away from the office to visit lawyers and attend court.

As a result, their careers and businesses can suffer. But once the divorce is concluded and they are free to plough their own furrow, many people are able to re-connect with their work life. Many clients have said their careers and businesses picked up considerably once the divorce was finalised.

This can mean that even people who have had to part with a considerable sum of money in a financial settlement are able to make up the loss over time once their focus is back on their job. Many people find it helpful to put all their energy into work as they recover from their marriage breakdown.

So, if this new survey is to be believed, while divorce may affect people’s chances of finding work, it can also serve to breathe new vigour into careers and businesses.