Research has suggested that people working from home are putting in around a month worth of extra time a year.

Conducted by video conferencing service provider UCi2i, the research polled 1,000 office employees in the UK and found that those with a flexible working environment are more likely to put in extra time on the job.

The survey also showed that some offices have problems with the disconnect that exists between home workers and office workers. It found that one in four people based in the office believe that those working from home are somehow 'cheating the system'. Furthermore, 84 per cent said that they didn't like not working alongside their colleagues, highlighting the importance of clear communication when people are working from different locations.

Michael Grant, managing director of UCi2i, commented: "These results highlight the need for companies, across all sectors, to seriously consider investing in video conferencing that support flexible working and allow instant face-to-face communication among colleagues, customers and partners at any time, wherever they are.

"Investing in easy-to-use software and encouraging employees to work from home can significantly improve businesses productivity and profit."