Companies across Britain should take steps to implement flexible working practices, such as enabling staff to operate from home, or risk losing their competitive edge, it has been suggested.

Figures from research firm ICM have shown that professionals increasingly want constant access to the internet and to corporate networks and businesses worldwide are being obliged to implement more flexible communication infrastructures.

Close to 88 per cent of employees polled by ICM said they always need access to business communication systems and 55 per cent indicated that they are increasingly spending more of their work hours outside the office, reports Mobile Business Magazine.

And a report from Microsoft recently made the case that: "Businesses need to sit up and take notice or risk losing out to companies with attractive flexi-working policies".

The benefits of enabling staff to work from home are currently being highlighted by the Work Wise UK initiative, which has been backed by a host of prominent organisations, including BT, the Confederation of British Industry and the RAC Foundation.