New work patterns

British workers are powering their way towards a 50 hour week with the help of technology, mobile work patterns and companies prepared to give them more freedom and responsibility say researchers.

The age of the mobile phone, laptop and internet means remote woprking is growing rapidly, increasing productivity and the efficiency of the business according to a report produced for Microsoft Windows Mobile by The Future Laboratory.

Mobile technology means employees can work anywhere, from toilets to trains. Around 8pc work from hotel bedrooms, 7pc on trains and stations, 5pc while on holiday and 4pc in their cars as they use traditional"dead time" to complete assignments or add to their workload.

"Work is becoming the thing you do rather than the place you go."

One in five of the employees interviewed said they were able to work away from the office one day every week, another 13pc say they can spend four or more days out of the office.

Researchers were suprised to find a large number of older people wanting to change the working habits of a lifetime and embrace the mobile technology whilst younger people accept the technology but their attitude is more nine to fiveish.

Wireless technology and cloud computing ahead - when all documents will be stored remotely and accessed from a remote global server will downgrade the office and head office in the future.

Microsoft predicts:

"Flexible time will mean spending more time at keyboards, making a growing number more than happy as long as they can choose the time and place. Keyboard corporations will become a way of life for a growing number of remote-working Britons."