Checking emails on the daily commute should count as work, say researchers
The daily commute should be counted as part of the working day because so many passengers are using the time to check their work emails, a survey has found.
Researchers at the University of West England (UWE) examined 5,000 rail passengers on commuter routes into London as Wi-Fi became more available, focusing on the Wi-Fi upgrade on the London to Birmingham and London to Aylesbury route.
It found that 54 per cent of commuters were using easily accessible Wi-Fi on trains to check emails before clocking in at work.
Commuters told the researchers they considered their journey into work valuable time to "catch up" on tasks before the working day began, with one saying: "It’s really important to my sanity that I can get work done on the train. I am a busy mum and I rely on that time, so I can get things done.”
UWE's Dr Juliet Jain said: “If travel time were to count as work time, there would be many social and economic impacts, as well as implications for the rail industry. It may ease commuter pressure on peak hours and allow for more comfort and flexibility around working times. However it may also demand more surveillance and accountability for productivity.”
Alan Riley, customer services director at Chiltern Railways, which operates the routes in question, said the research "reinforced how Wi-Fi on trains increases productivity".
Wi-Fi is now available on more than 260 London Underground stations and Victoria Coach station – 97 per cent of the entire Underground network.