Businesses searching for ways to attract top executives could offer them a new perk - stress-free divorce - thanks to a Bradford solicitors' firm.

Piccadilly-based Gordons has drawn-up a plan to help company directors and others at the top of big business get through the traumatic experience of splitting-up.

And they believe firms desperate to find talented people could offer it as part of a recruiting package.

The firm devised the "Executive Support Package" in response to the growing problem of family break-ups which are thought to cost industry more than £1.2 billion per year.

It will include preferential rates for directors, tailored products to fit the needs of the organisation and appointments at convenient times for the individual's work schedule.

Gordons solicitor Simon Preston said he hoped some leading companies might offer the service to staff as an additional employment benefit.

"Divorce rates today are the highest they have been since 1996 and it is an issue that will affect most of us either directly or indirectly at some time, potentially causing substantial amounts of stress and disruption to our everyday lives both at work and at home," he said.

"We estimate that almost one million working days are lost each year in England and Wales as a result of divorce and when you then take into account the breakdown of unmarried couples in a long-term relationship this figure is likely to be significantly higher."

The package has been drawn-up by Gordons' family law team, which includes three nationally recognised specialists.

Mr Preston said: "Unplanned absences, low morale, quality of work suffering and workplace stress are common consequences when an individual is suffering marital breakdown or similarly demanding family problems.

"When key employees such as directors are affected in this way business can really suffer."

Gill Crofts, co-manager of relationship counselling organisation Relate Bradford, said marital problems often had an impact on life at work.

She said some businesses had approached Relate, which offers a range of services for couples and families, about corporate counselling services.

"It is such a massive change that very often involves housing costs, financial implications and uncertainty about children," she said.

"There are so many different things going on at so many different levels.

"Firms recognise the impact of relationship difficulties even before they get to the divorce stage. Having some kind of counselling service on hand can make a lot of sense from a business point of view."

The Gordons expert team includes Lyn Ayrton, a specialist on high net worth financial settlements on divorce and separation. She is also a trained mediator and member of the Law Society's Family Law Panel.

For more details about the services offered by Relate, call (01274) 726096.