People
who have switched to working from home typically work longer hours than they
did when they were office-based.
New
research from Norwich Union explodes the myth that working from home makes for
a cushy life.
In
fact, two in five homeworkers say they work more than eight hours a day and
over three-quarters find themselves working at weekends.
The
‘Homeworking Reality’ study reveals that the working week is longer than 45
hours for nearly half of all homeworkers. This compares to the UK average
working week of just over 39 hours.
Nine
out of 10 people working from home say they made the change for a more flexible
lifestyle or to spend time with their family. But in reality, the majority
admit they work longer hours at home than their office counterparts.
Despite
these long hours, the nation’s army of homeworkers say friends and family still
think working from home means long lie-ins, lounging on the sofa and endless
daytime TV. Almost two-thirds (62 per cent) of homeworkers admit their friends
and family assume working from home is an easy option.
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And
instead of providing support, it seems homeworkers’ friends and family members
are actually the biggest hindrance to working from home. Homeworkers say their
top two distractions are personal visits to their home during ‘office hours’
and friends calling for a gossip.
