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The last four years have seen a huge jump in the number of firms offering their staff the chance to work from home, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) reports.

In its 2008 Employment Trends Survey, 46 per cent of the 513 businesses questioned claim to offer their staff the chance to work from home - a significant increase on the 14 per cent recorded in 2006 and 11 per cent in 2004.

Term-time working and job sharing is also on the increase, with employers increasingly open to allowing their staff to take career breaks.

John Cridland, CBI deputy director-general, says despite the uncertainty in the economy, flexible working patterns have been adopted as a means to improve work-life balance and protect the environment.

Tim Watts, chairman of recruitment specialists Pertemps, adds that 'the revolution in workplace flexibility has ensured that those with the skill and willingness to work have found it easier and easier to find gainful employment'.

Figures released by the AA and Work Wise UK have found the average commuter spends 29 days each year travelling to work.

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