1 in 3 SME owners will work over the Bank Holiday weekend

Sage One encourages entrepreneurs to embrace the ‘workation’ as survey reveals 32% won’t be logging off this Bank Holiday.

Almost one third (32%) of UK small business owners will be working this Bank Holiday, according to statistics released by Sage One. The findings come on the back of research that showed almost one in five UK small business owners sacrifice 10-15 days of holiday a year to be an entrepreneur. With the weather set to be brighter this weekend than the week ahead, small business owners can still enjoy the Bank Holiday while running their business thanks to the ‘workation’.

With many business owners and employees alike struggling to take the time off to relax and/or blow off steam, the ‘workation’ is the ultimate solution to getting your dose of Vitamin D. Defined as the act of heading to a location to get away from your daily grind to get some work done, the workation provides fun and inspiring new ways for business owners and employees to work while relaxing. With the average worker spending seven hours a week working outside normal hours, the 9-5 is very much a thing of the past.

The rise of mobile working, widespread Wi-Fi coverage across the UK, the proliferation of devices and the latest generation of software provides workers with the tools to conduct their business from wherever they are. This means that huge numbers of people now have the basic tools they need to work from anywhere, at any time. So even if business owners do have to work this Bank Holiday, they can do so from anywhere, whether it’s a Spanish beach, Hyde Park or Notting Hill carnival, the world can be your office.

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“Mobile working allows businesses to work across multiple devices from various locations and offers the ease that comes with running your business outside of the standard 9-5. It means people can treat anywhere as their office and aren’t restricted by the confines of a traditional working environment or routine. We understand that it isn’t always realistic for business owners to take long holiday breaks and Bank Holidays can be a struggle too. This doesn’t mean that business owners can’t enjoy the luxuries of the sun, sea and sand and we’re encouraging people to make the most of mobile working and embrace the great outdoors this weekend”, said Lisa Ewens, Category Manager at Sage One.

If you do have to work over the Bank Holiday weekend, it doesn’t have to be isolating. “The antidote to working all alone is of course working along with others. All you need is a personal Wi-Fi, a laptop friendly area such as a coffee shop or park, good cellular reception, and of course your friends and laptop”, highlights Sage’s Small Business Expert, Mary Cummings.

As an ambassador of the benefits of mobile and flexible working, Sage is encouraging entrepreneurs who will not be taking a break this weekend to get out and make the most of mobile and new ways of working. It’s time to get outside and experience the joys of the workation. Join in the conversation at #MyWorkation.