Homeworking offers 'many benefits'

Homeworking offers numerous benefits for employers and employees, according to the Telework Association.

Brian Higton, the association's chairman, says that "properly adopted" homeworking can offer small business owners a reduction in fixed operating costs and greater flexibility in the deployment of workers.

Mr Higton claims that working from home can also help to reduce stress levels for employees and lead to "improved staff loyalty and retention"

"For the employee [it offers] reduction or elimination of wasted time spent commuting -the UK has the longest commuting times in Europe ," he adds.

A recent report by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development revealed that over a fifth of those in employment work over 45 hours per week.

It also emerged that Britons enjoy fewer days of annual leave than their European counterparts.