Coronavirus: Half of Brits are happy to work from home for as long as necessary

Over half of Brits are happy to continue working from home for as long as necessary, according to research.

In a survey of 2,000 people who are currently working from home, conducted by communications provider Moneypenny, 52% said they are content to work remotely for as long as the coronavirus pandemic requires.

However, some 37% admit that they are starting to feel the pressure and 6% said they are already finding this new way of life a struggle.

With the government urging all non-key workers to work from home where possible, the study shows that while many have become accustomed to this new way of working, some employees have had to implement new changes in order to cope with the transition.

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When it comes to workers’ routines, the findings showed that people are adapting to a new schedule when working from home.

Almost half (43%) get up less than an hour before they start work, with 15% of these waking up 45 minutes before work, and 17% getting up just 30 minutes before work.

Another 6% confessed to having a lie-in, saying they get up about 15 minutes before starting work, with a further 5% revealing that they stay in bed until 10 minutes before they start work.

Only a handful of workers (15%) give themselves over one hour before starting work.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: How to set yourself a routine when working from home

When it comes to taking breaks, almost half (46%) of those surveyed said they made sure to stick to their normal lunch hours.

Nearly a third (28%) said they take shorter lunch breaks then they usually would when in the office. One in 10 (11%) take longer breaks, and 15% said they don’t take any lunch breaks at all.

Some people are finding it far more difficult to switch off from work, with three quarters (73%) admitting they answer calls and emails after normal working hours.

The research also highlighted that 72% of people working from home have experienced a day where they did not speak to any colleagues. Of those, almost half say they don’t speak to anyone for longer than one day.

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The findings also revealed the most popular places in which workers set up their office space in order to create a sense of normality and to maximise their productivity.

Just under a quarter (24%) of adults prefer to work from their living room. This is followed by 15% who use the dining room or sitting room.

Only 13% already have a dedicated home office space set up at home.

Furthermore, 12% use their bedroom and 7% have created a makeshift home office.

Some 5% of workers said they do not have a specific space to work from at home, meaning their work spaces are slightly more unconventional — 3% find themselves working from a garden, shed or summerhouse, and 3% work from the garage, studio or attic.

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Over half (53%) said their company did not supply anything to help set up their home office. A quarter (26%) received a screen and any office supplies they needed, while 16% of workers received a voucher or cash to buy what they need to set up their home office.

Joanna Swash, CEO of Moneypenny, said: “It’s clear many companies are relying on their staff having a full home office to enable them to work from home and companies should be auditing the facilities their staff need and providing them.”