Workers 'spending more time at desks'

Office design news from Morgan Lovell

Published on 17-11-2011

Research has revealed that many workers are spending more and more time at their desks amid ongoing economic pressure.

O2 polled 2,000 office workers and found that more than a quarter feel their bosses are grading their performance on how much time they spend at their desk.

Around the same amount also feel that flexible working is not an option, something which most of those polled feel would lead to more work getting done.

A spokesman for O2 said that many employees are staying close to their desk in a bid to get across the effort they’re putting into their jobs.

David Plumb of O2 said: "For many employees, flexible working has been sacrificed as a result of the growing pressure to be visible in the office. With so many organisations facing economic uncertainty, our research suggests large numbers of businesses are missing out on the productivity gains, improved employee and customer engagement and efficient processes that such flexible working practices can deliver.

"We have found that flexible working has different mindsets depending on if you are the employee or the employer, and that employees spending more time at their desks because they believe they have to is not going to contribute to driving UK business forward."

Copyright Press Association 2011