As National Commute Smart Week (8th-14th November) comes to an end, research has re-emphasised the benefits – for employers and employees alike – of homeworking and similar "smart" working practices.

Organised by not-for-profit information service Work Wise UK, the initiative's aim is to prompt staff and their bosses to look at reducing or even eliminating daily commutes to improve their health, wellbeing and productivity.

The research shows that over a third of British individuals believe they could significantly reduce the 26 million hours a day they spend travelling to and from work by taking up homeworking, flexible working or other forms of remote working.

Public transport and traffic issues, travelling in the dark and cost were the main reasons put forward for people's frustrations with time-consuming daily commutes.

Commenting on the findings, internet psychologist Graham Jones said employers who insist on staff going to work at the same time and sticking to a set routine "are actually weakening their business" because people generally dislike being told how to run their lives.

"Using the internet, for instance, to gain increased flexibility means that motivation levels in office staff could rise as people feel more in control of their own destiny," he concluded.