Businesses and employees appear to be taking their preparations for the Olympics seriously as sales of home office furniture have risen significantly.

According to reports from the PA, John Lewis saw sales of office desks and chairs rise by 14 per cent so far this year in comparison to the same period last year. The retailer noted that it appears that its customers are preparing themselves for a summer working from home.

Indeed, several businesses have already begun to implement their plans for home working during the Olympic Games as congestion and travel problems are expected. O2, for example, has been conducting trials to double check that its employees are prepared for working from home.

Sally Hudson, from John Lewis, told the news agency: “We've seen more and more of our customers getting their homes ready for home-working – either for the Olympics, or longer term.

"Despite the advent of laptop computers and Wi-Fi, most of us still require a designated work station in order to work from home productively."

Demand for office furniture has been highest in the South East, with London and its commuter belt showing buying a lot of home office furniture.