‘Working’ from home: Laundry, sex and side hustles distract hybrid Londoners from the day job
One in six Londoners have admitted to having sex whilst they should be working, fresh research shows, as employers across the capital look to stiffen up on hybrid working rules.
The data, which was published by LifeSearch, shows that more widely across the UK 1.6 million workers have admitted to getting ‘between the sheets’ between Zoom calls.
However the majority of Londoners tend to use their time at home on less steamy activities such as household chores – with 33 per cent doing loads of laundry and 20 per cent doing an online food shop.
A further 10 per cent have admitted to working on their side hustles in a bid to rack up some extra cash on the company clock.
“While most employers would not condone Brits doing non-work activities when they should be on the job, getting a good work life balance is vital, and working from home offers people the opportunity to be more flexible with their time, Emma Walker, chief growth officer at LifeSearch who commissioned the study said.
Despite only being made popular by the pandemic, remote working has quickly become the norm for many workers – with employees often spending two or more days away from the office.
However as the City has fully reopened after nearly two years of stop and start lockdowns employers are keen to cut back on remote working practices.
In April, American bank JP Morgan Chase halted remote working for its senior staff.
“They have to be visible on the floor, they must meet with clients… and they should always be accessible for immediate feedback and impromptu meetings,” the global business told staff in a memo.
Data from estate agent Knight Frank also showed that some 31 per cent of occupiers of work space are implementing ‘office first’ or ‘office only’ policies, in drives to get employees back to in person working.
Tim Armstrong, global head of occupier strategy and solutions at Knight Frank, said: “For most occupiers an office-centric approach in a more flexible environment will require a fundamental reworking of the workplace, and many occupiers will conclude that their current office buildings cannot meet their requirements.
“A rise in both the functional and physical obsolescence of buildings will drive occupiers to higher quality, more sustainable and amenity-rich space, but the supply of this space is coming under increasing pressure in global markets.”