'Decline in mobile working'
05/06/2008(17:07)
Mobile working practices among office staff are declining due to the economic slowdown, a survey has found.
A poll of more than 1,000 UK office workers, commissioned by Microsoft Windows Mobile, revealed that the percentage of businesses offering some form of mobile working has fallen to 50 per cent - down ten per cent on last year, onrec.com reports.
In addition, 13 per cent of respondents said mobile working was actively discouraged while senior managers were found to be three times more likely to be allowed to work remotely than other employees.
Microsoft mobility spokesperson James McCarthy said the situation is "depressing if unsurprising".
"Economic uncertainty is undoubtedly sapping business confidence. Senior managers seem reluctant to try new things while employees are perhaps understandably adopting a presenteeism mentality in case troubled times arrive," he added.
The survey follows a poll by employment law firm Peninsula which found seven in ten UK employees use the internet when they are supposed to be working to search for and book holidays.
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