Homeworkers supporting local economies through Covid-19

While city centres are taking time to recover, there’s better news elsewhere, suggests Vodafone research into small business employees. Local economies are benefitting from the rise in homeworking, with 25 percent of homeworkers spending at least once a day at their local coffee shop or café. The research, which surveyed 1,003 small business employees, also claims that working from home has not hindered Brits’ productivity, with 40 percent of workers putting in an average of 642 additional hours, equal to 26 extra days, since lockdown began back in March.

60 percent of employees said they’re working in the time they’d usually be commuting, and 61 percent say they now don’t mind picking up tasks at any time of the day. Not only are home-based employees working extra hours, 40 percent say they’ve been more productive than when they were working in the office.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“The Covid-19 pandemic has reshaped the working world”[/perfectpullquote]

• 25 percent of homeworkers are contributing to their local economy by visiting coffee shops and cafés each day, according to new Vodafone research
• Commuting time has been swapped for work time as homeworkers notch up almost a month in overtime
• 40 percent say they’ve been more productive since the start of working from home in March

Anne Sheehan, Business Director, Vodafone UK said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has reshaped the working world, seemingly for the long-term. Workers are now contributing more where they live, and that will be a boost to local businesses during these difficult times.”

Image by Comfreak