Working 9 to 5? If you’re a small business owner you’re more likely to be working 6 to 10

30 December 2015

Britain’s SMEs are working on average the equivalent of an extra eight hour day each week, equating to 52 days overtime a year according to a new survey for business e-lender Everline.

The research, which surveyed over 1,000 SME decision makers, found that a third (33%) work up to 10 hours overtime a week, while 1 in 10 work between 10-12 hours. The most common time for small businesses to be switched on outside of normal office hours is between 8pm to 10pm with just over a fifth (21%) quoting this as the time they’re most likely to be logging on late. Over half (57%) admitted spending their weekends playing catch-up on work, while 14% are early birds, logging on to put in the extra time between 6am to 8am.

Checking and replying to emails was the most prevalent activity to do out of hours favoured by three quarters (75%) of respondents, while just over a third (34%) spent the time on finance and accounting. A further 29% said they spent their extra hours calling clients, confirming working culture in the UK is no longer 9 to 5.

Russell Gould, COO, Everline commented: “Small businesses are often touted as the backbone of the economy and it’s clear to see why. As our research shows, they’re so committed to making their business fly that they’re prepared to work a six day week to make it happen. With the UK economy benefitting from 5.4 million businesses in the UK, generating a combined turnover of £1.75 trillion, small businesses deserve our support, whether that’s access to finance to aid their growth, a reduction in red tape or initiatives like the Enterprise Bill’s late payment tsar.”

Emma Douglas-Beet, Director, Business Shaper Group Ltd: “As a small business that works closely with many other small businesses, the 9 to 5 day has become a modern myth. These days we all have smart phones and the world at our finger tips 24/7. This can be a blessing and a curse. On the one hand we can fit more into our day, we can get a loan at midnight and check our emails at 3 am, but it also means we can never fully switch off from the demands of our business. That said, anything that helps us achieve our business goals is a good thing and the fact we can now do most business tasks any time of the day or night will only help accelerate growth plans.”