The survey, conducted by IPSOS Public Affairs and commissioned by office furniture manufacturer Steelcase, found that 22% of European managers regularly work at another office building of their company and 29% work while travelling.
Managers in the UK tended to work away from home more than their European counterparts, the research added, with 46% saying they regularly work from home compared to just 17% of French managers.
“With 22% of European managers working away from their primary office, there is a real trend towards mobility in work,” said Mark Spragg, managing director of Steelcase UK.
Small companies that set themselves up so staff can work remotely can expect to benefit from more productive employees and also gain from better recruitment and retention rates as more people opt for a better work/life balance over larger salary packages.
But the survey also suggested that while mobile working is a growing trend in many organisations across Europe, being based in one place is likely to remain the norm for some time to come for the majority of staff.
The research also found that despite the prevalence of technology such as email, the traditional phone call or face-to-face meeting was still the most preferred form of communication between managers across Europe.
“Business is increasingly being conducted on a global scale, yet there is still a need for face-to-face communication,” added Spragg.
“With the time, money and environmental impact of global travel becoming an increasing issue, technology such as live video and audio conferencing will clearly offer the most effective compromise to the managers of the future.”
