British staff have delivered a rebuke to London Mayor candidate Boris Johnson over his rant on flexible working.
The Tory MP said working from home was “simply a euphemism for sloth, apathy, staring out of the window, and random surfing of the internet”.
But seven in 10 people interviewed by telecoms firm NTL:Telewest Business said homeworking would enable them to be more productive.
Contrary to Johnson’s opinion, the nationwide poll of 1,000 employees discovered that people were more likely to be distracted in an office than at home. Gossip about social lives was named by 20% of those surveyed as the main distraction at work, closely followed by general banter (14%).
Johnson called on the government to help Londoners get to work by creating better transport links, claiming: “Our species yearns for the office”.
But Stephen Beynon, managing director at NTL:Telewest Business, said the survey’s results went against this view.
“Commuting is a hassle for many people, especially for those who have commitments outside of work and need flexibility,” he said.
“As this survey shows, many people believe that they can fit much more into their working day when it’s done at home.”
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