UK homeworkers are putting in an extra 5 hours per week - according to new research

Many people have now become used to working from home due to the coronavirus pandemic, adapting their kitchen tables and spare room to work spaces.

However, some have found that they are now working longer hours, compared to when they were in the office.

Working longer hours at home

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New data from Furniture at Work surveyed 2,000 office workers, with 52 per cent saying they’re putting in more hours per week at their job when working from home.

A total of 30 per cent of those surveyed said they work an extra three to four hours a week when working from home, with nearly half (45 per cent) saying they do over five hours extra. Only one per cent of those that work over said they do less than one hour extra.

Out of the 2,000 who took part in the survey, 47 per cent said they start earlier each morning and 49 per cent said they work late.

The survey found that employees who work extra were working an average of five hours and 54 minutes more every week, which would equal 40.9 days extra across a whole year of work.

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Based on the 2019 average weekly wage in the UK of £585, this means some employees could be working for free and missing out on £4,785.30 a year.

Some would like to continue working from home

In contrast to those working more hours at home, 25 per cent of the survey’s respondents said they actually do less hours when working from home.

Of those 25 per cent of people, 39 per cent admitted to doing five hours less work during their week, when compared to their working hours when office-based.

Respondents also highlighted several positives to working from home, with 78 per cent saying the lack of a daily commute has been a positive, and 70 per cent explaining tha they’ve saved money.

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Overall, 87 per cent of UK workers want to keep some level of home working after the Covid-19 pandemic.

A spokesperson for Furniture at Work commented on the findings: “The fact that almost half of those remote working in the UK are doing five or more hours extra week is a shocking statistic.

“Perhaps saving money and not spending hours on a commute has helped to negate this fact, however, with 56 per cent actually saying they feel their work-life balance has improved.

“All this means that maybe employees have more to do to ensure their staff are using their newfound time more wisely and not over-exerting themselves with work.”

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