WORKPLACE 01732 759725 46 10 years · I00 issues Business owners are leading the charge on transforming preconceived ideas of how we should work. For modern entrepreneurs, work is wherever they find the right headspace Work is headspace not a physical space clothes; working from anywhere and making the most of time spent working. The days of being deskbound are almost over, with 97 per cent of respondents performing non-work activities during the traditional working day. Self-care is clearly a priority, with three-quarters taking time out to exercise and, almost half to develop a new skill, such as learning a language. In a further uplevelling of work/ life balance, respondents spend an average of one hour and twelve minutes on household chores, and 39 per cent spend up to two hours playing with their children. More unusual work-time activities include learning to knit, bathing a pet iguana, attending a football match and 46 per cent admit to getting their hair done during their office hours. Apparently far more normal is the habit of napping, with one in five taking daily siestas to help them perform better. Mental and emotional wellbeing are major considerations, and there is growing sentiment that work should not be all encompassing even among business owners; 71 per cent said they put their family life ahead of their business, with 27 per cent saying the same for friends. In a sign of how much the conversation has shifted, half said they prioritise their emotional health ahead of their business. Modern entrepreneurs aren’t just trying to improve their own work/life balance though, they’re encouraging their staff to do the same. Half let their employees change their working hours to fit in with their lives, a third are happy to let their staff choose their working hours so long as they get the job done, and remarkably, almost a quarter will let staff come in late if they’ve been out the night before. That duty of care is being taken seriously, with 36 per cent allowing their employees to take mental health days if needed. Commenting on the research, Joe Walsh, Director of B2B at Samsung UK said: “Multi-tasking, multi-screens, multipriorities; all are now commonplace, with a refreshed focus quality over quantity. As many of the respondents expressed, if their business can be run effectively from a beach in Greece or after picking up their kids from school, why shouldn’t it be? Technology is at the heart of this change, with the right tools empowering them to juggle what they need to do and what they want to do, without missing a beat, and driving growth.” www.samsung.com Research commissioned by Samsung Electronics UK and conducted via Mortar Research. Sample of 1,012 business owners based in the UK, between 11 and 14 October 2022. New research from Samsung finds that more than ever, work is about focus not location, with the average business owner not having set foot in an office for 148 days, and one in five never having done so at all. Instead, almost two-fifths of entrepreneurs have taken a working holiday without telling clients, with the practice far more common amongst those aged 25-34 (48 per cent) compared to just 20 per cent of those over 55. That confidence seems linked to technology, with more than half upgrading their work phone so they can operate anywhere, on their own terms. There is, however, a continuing sense of dedication, with 43 per cent of small business owners taking less holiday time, preferring to continue to work from wherever they are. Evolution of the modern entrepreneur The study shows just how far the modern entrepreneur has evolved from traditional stereotypes. Nearly half of full-time business owners in the UK revealed they have no fixed work hours at all, preferring a fluid workday set up. One-third also said they commit to less than seven hours as a typical core working day, preferring to work when optimal to their businesses. While an early start is popular, with an average clocking on time of 8.21am, burning the midnight oil is now less so, with an average clocking off time of 3.06pm, showing the rewards of efficient working practices. One in five of those polled said they only work when they want to, while just 14 per cent stick to a traditional nine to five. Changing times Business owners detailed the five biggest changes to their working lives over the last five years as: flexible hours; fewer or no face-to-face meetings; wearing casual Nearly half of full-time business owners in the UK revealed they have no fixed work hours at all, preferring a fluid workday set up
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDUxNDM=