by Shane Henson — October 24, 2012—If U.K. office workers had their way, the nine-to-five work day would become a thing of past, replaced with a schedule that is much more flexible and includes the option to work from home, according to findings from a survey of 1,000 U.K. office workers, commissioned by TeamViewer, a provider of remote control and online meetings software around the world.
In the survey, 78% of respondents indicated they wanted a more flexible work schedule to boost job satisfaction in the absence of pay increases, as the U.K. economy continues to stagnate. The survey also found that 68% would like to work from home, while 50% would like to travel less for work reasons.
While companies have talked about creating flexible working policies for years now, the research suggests that some U.K. businesses are yet to implement a clear strategy. Indeed, 25% of respondents in the survey never work from home, while a further 18% rarely work from home. Only 26% of respondents are able to choose when they want to work from home, while a further 22% said teleworking arrangements were flexible as long as they got prior agreement from their manager.
When asked what would further improve their home-working experience, 55% stated faster connectivity, while 51% wanted to have access to all documents as if they were based in the office. Given that teleworking arrangements require the use of employees’ space and electricity, 33% said that wanted their employer to make a contribution to their utility bills.
The research also provided a fascinating insight into U.K. home-working habits and rituals. Approximately 14% like to work in the garden and 7% work while cooking when they are at home. Also interesting, 13% admitted to working while in bed (23% in the 25-34 category) and a further 5% said they had done work while in the bathroom.
However, while U.K. workers do like the flexible nature of working from home, they still tend to stick to their typical office routine. Indeed, 36% said they take tea and coffee breaks at the same time each day; 35% start work at the same time every day; 33% always shower before they start the working day; and 29% always finish work at the same time every day.
Commenting on the research findings, Holger Felgner, general manager at TeamViewer, explains, “The findings of this survey show that flexible working policies can satisfy employees seeking an improved work-life balance. TeamViewer gives people the freedom to work from anywhere at any time and on any device, while staying fully connected to the office infrastructure.”
