No holiday for most small business owners: Telstra

SMBs will be working from home this Christmas and New Year, finds survey

More than half of Australian small business owners will work during the Christmas and New Year holiday break, with 36 per cent of them taking no time off at all, according to a Telstra Business survey.

The survey was conducted with owners of small to medium businesses (SMBs) in November and found economic conditions will force 29 per cent of this group to stay at work during the end of year holidays.

Telstra Business group managing director, Will Irving, said in a statement that having an interrupted holiday or no break has “become the norm” for SMB owners with 26 per cent indicating they worked through Christmas last year.

“Changing work patterns and the convenience of technology that lets people work when they’re away from the office, are having a profound impact on the way we live,” he said. “The research also reflects the commitment to keeping things running that’s part and parcel of being a small business in relatively tough times.”

The survey also found that while 5 per cent of SMBs owners are highly optimistic about their future in the current climate, 49 per cent expect to work more hours in response.

In addition, 35 per cent rated the economy as good or very good.

Follow Hamish Barwick on Twitter: @HamishBarwick

Follow Computerworld Australia on Twitter: @ComputerworldAU

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