The traditional nine-to-five working day is a thing of the past, according to a new survey that shows most office workers are spending an extra hour a day at their desks.A survey of 1,000 office workers revealed that the average working day now stretches from 8.37am to 5.37pm, although much of the extra time is not used for working. According to figures, the average worker spends 17.4 minutes a day making tea, 18.6 minutes staring out of a window, 11.1 minutes making personal calls and 35.5 minutes gossiping.
Professor Cary Cooper, an expert on organisation, psychology and health at Lancaster University, said the results demonstrated a culture of 'presenteeism'. He continued: "We now have the longest working hours in Europe, but I was interested to find out what people are doing with their time".
Professor Cooper believes that more flexible working practices are the answer and that employers would benefit from allowing more people to work from home or to vary their hours to suit their families. He said: "Working hours can adversely affect your health and interfere with your family life and private time as well as undermining productivity. With so many distractions in the modern office, it is not surprising that our minds wander. However, we don't have to make drastic changes to enjoy a more efficient and shorter working day".
Source: "Working 8 to 6 with time for a chat", The Scotsman online edition Tuesday 9th January 2007
Last Updated: 19/01/2007 10:05:56 By Sian Baird Murray
