Nearly half of SME bosses telework


11 Mar 2008

The latest teleworking survey from O2 Ireland has found 29pc of senior managers in small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) work from home at least four days a month.

Some 47pc work from home at least one day a month, the survey found, almost double the number that did so in 2004.

Some 36pc of respondents who telework said they did so in order to concentrate and get more done without day-to-day office distractions; 14pc said it is easier to catch up on work or meet deadlines if they work from home; 8pc said they did it to achieve a better work-life balance; and 4pc said they telework to avoid traffic gridlock.

The survey found there was increased use of personal digital assistants (PDAs) among SMEs, with use almost doubling from 10pc in 2004 to 19pc today.

The O2 research found 35pc of SME owner-managers who use a PC or laptop said they had thought about getting mobile broadband.

The survey, conducted for O2 Ireland by TNS mrbi, polled owner-managers or senior executives in Irish companies employing less than 250 people.

By Niall Byrne