The UK is leading the way in adopting remote and homeworking practices and are boosting profits and productivity as a result, according to research carried out by IPSOS Public Affairs.
The independent research into the work habits of 2,500 European companies reveals that Brits work from home more often than any other major European country, with almost half (46%) saying they do so regularly and 29% also doing so while travelling.
The figures for working from home compared to 40% of Dutch respondents, 34% of Italians and only 17% of French.
According to Mark Spragg, chief executive of office furniture manufacturer Steelcase, which commissioned the survey, companies enabling staff to work from wherever is most convenient reap the rewards in terms of increased productivity.
“More companies are starting to recognise the very real business benefits to be gained from enabling your workers to be productive whether in the office, at home or while travelling,” he said.
“It makes financial sense. BT currently has 12,500 home workers, who save them nearly £70m per annum. They expect the number of people working from home to increase by another 10,000 over the next three years,” he added.
The study also suggests that UK workers have embraced the open-plan, collaborative working style employed in many offices, with 60% spending most of their time working in groups. This compared to 72% of Italian managers who said they spent most of their time working on their own.
“Working on an individual basis has always been part of the myth and habits of European managers,” said Spragg. “However, this work pattern is – in most companies – directly induced by space planning, as personal desk space or cubicles remain the most common design element in the office.”
