Majority of small businesses embracing flexible working

The vast majority of small UK businesses are adopting flexible work patterns in order to achieve greater success in the modern economy, a survey has revealed.

Technology such as VoIP hardware and networking is making life easier for many companies, with a survey from Citrix Online revealing that over 80 per cent of small businesses are integrating flexible and remote working on a routine basis.

Employees can now use the internet to work from anywhere that offers a suitably fast web connection and this practice is being actively embraced by more than 60 per cent of firms surveyed.

Brett Caine, general manager of Citrix Online, said: "With web-based access and collaboration technologies, businesses of any size can quickly, easily and very cost-effectively mobilise a remote workforce."

The survey also revealed that nearly 40 per cent of businesses would agree to allow their employees to work remotely if it was viewed as a preferred work method.

In additional broadband news, research from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has ranked the UK fifth of 30 nations for the national proliferation of web services.