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Karren Brady Comments on the Rapidly Growing British Work Trend of 'Horking'

Lines between many Brits home and working lives are becoming increasingly blurred as the trend of ‘horking’ emerges
Celebrities, Home, Lifestyle - 8 February 2011   Download IconContent available for download:  
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More Brits than ever are determined to achieve an ideal work/life balance by combining their private and professional lives and are becoming ‘horkers’ (home workers). ‘Horkers’ prefer to work from home to avoid their commute and to work flexible hours. More than a third of us (39%) admit to taking business calls whist out with friends at bars, pubs and cafes and nearly half of us (49%) have dedicated space in our houses as home offices. This new research also highlights other benefits to the ‘horking’ lifestyle as 46% of small business owners claim to enjoy working from home because it reduces stress levels.

Nearly a third of female ‘horkers’ admit they regularly conduct work calls from home in their pyjamas with 40% of them also admitting to use working from home to catch up on household chores. 40% of male home workers confess to taking work calls in bed and 10% of them have even worked from home in full formal wear to include a suit and tie and nearly a third (27%) of senior management ‘horkers’ even admit to having held a business call in the bath or shower.

Karren Brady, one of the UK’s leading Business women and Lord Sugar’s right hand woman in the Apprentice, is currently judging the Nectar Business Small Business of the Year including Start Up of the Year; Entrepreneur of the Year; Best Contributor to the Community and Online Business of the Year, and it is this determination and practical thinking prevalent in ‘horkers’ that is forming part of Karren’s search.

. Introduction:

New research has identified a new group of the British work-force - the ‘horkers’ or home workers. Many British workers are combining their private and professional lives in search of the ideal work/life balance. According to the survey home - workers are taking business calls at the pub, in bed, even on the loo and nearly half of us are dedicating space in our house to make a home office. Avoiding commutes, catching up on chores and reducing stress levels are a few reasons why ‘horking’ behaviour is on the increase.

Joining us to discuss this further are Karren Brady, a respected industry figure currently on the search to Crown the Nectar Business Small Business Award Winners of 2011 and James Frost from Nectar Business.

. Suggested Questions:

What does the research reveal about small businesses in our area?

Why are small businesses so important to the UK?

What issues are small businesses facing right now?

What do the Nectar Business Small Business Awards 2011 hope to achieve?

So how can people get involved?

Where can we find out more information?