Giving staff a right to demand flexible working arrangements, such as operating from home, would be good for business, according to around one-third of those polled in a recent study.

Research by Orange and Ipsos Mori found that 32 per cent of 276 respondents, who were all bosses at small or medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the UK, would support a shift towards a more flexible workforce.

Head of business services at Orange in the UK Neil Laidler commented: "The results of this poll show that businesses share the same view as Orange: flexible working is good for business."

"It is encouraging to see initiatives like Work Wise Week promoting better ways of working," he added.

The same piece of research also established that the majority (54 per cent) of decision makers at the SMBs who were questioned were not familiar with their own company policy on flexible working arrangements.

Meanwhile, a study from Cornhill Direct recently suggested that two-thirds of home-based operatives put more effort into their work to avoid a perception of laziness.