Working from home risks damaging the nation's productivity, with bosses frequently finding staff are less useful when logging in from the kitchen table compared with coming into the office.

Twice as many businesses said productivity fell when staff worked from home as found an improvement, meaning the experiment in remote working could soon come to an end for many employees.

Productivity, which measures output per worker, is key for the UK's future prosperity and allows wages and living standards to rise over time. It was already a problem before the pandemic struck and empty offices appear to be worsening the situation.

Of those bosses who have increased home-working through the pandemic, almost one-quarter told the Office for National Statistics that productivity has got worse. Just 12pc said output had improved as a result. Around half said it made no difference.

It is a blow to those who expect to be able to work from home forever, or see the kitchen-office as a great success that will change the nation’s habits permanently.

Source: Telegraph.co.uk

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