Research reveals that 62 per cent of people who run small businesses have been logging on to access their mobile devices for work reasons whilst taking time off.
The poll of more than 500 people who own businesses with five or fewer members of staff, highlighted how 37 per cent of small business owners said they are “very likely” to access their mobile phone, tablet or laptop for work reasons when they take time off from their business, while 26 per cent said they would be “fairly likely” to do so.
In contrast, just 12 per cent of respondents said they were not very likely to use a mobile device for work reasons when taking a break, while 16 per cent said they were “not at all likely” to do so.
FreeAgent believes that the results may suggest that small business owners are increasingly adopting a “worliday” mentality, where they are able to combine work and vacation – by using mobile devices or tablets – so they can keep in touch with important aspects of their business that can’t be put off until they return from holiday.
Ed Molyneux, CEO and co-founder of FreeAgent said: “Our research shows that there are a lot of small business owners who choose not to ‘switch off’ when they go on holiday, but that’s not necessarily bad news. For some of them, staying connected is actually likely to be an important way for them to keep on top of their business and ensure everything is in order, so they can actually take a vacation in the first place.
“Of course, it can be very beneficial to detach from work completely when you take a break – and it’s possible to do this by getting all of your admin done in advance, so that your business runs smoothly while you’re away. But not everyone who runs a small business will have the confidence to do this, as they may be worried about chasing invoices, paying bills and missing out on vital sales leads while they are on holiday.
“However, rather than choosing not to take a break at all, we believe that many of these small business owners are now combining their holiday with keeping their business running. With this mentality, they’re able to spend a short amount of time every day checking emails or managing their accounts through their mobile device – and then enjoying the rest of their time off to relax.”
