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Forget young, technology-savvy 20-somethings working in media or web-design.
When it comes to the home office revolution, it’s the generation of baby boomers who
are leading the way, according to new research from Lexmark, the international
printer manufacturer.

The survey of 1,000 people with a home office in Britain reveals that almost half
(46%) are over 45 — more than any other age group.

And while the younger generations are content to work in unhealthy, cramped
conditions at home — 16% of 25—34 year olds work on a laptop wherever they can
find space and 11% work at the dining room table - their older (and it seems wiser)
counterparts are more likely to invest in a comfortable, purpose built home office.

Across Europe the picture is similar but with ‘silver surfers’ leading the way. An
incredible 61% of over 55’s in the Netherlands enjoying working from a purpose-built
home office space, compared to 59% in France and 30% in Italy.

GADGET GURUS
The over 45’s are also leading the way in fitting out their home offices with all the
latest gadgets, scoring the highest in ownership in every office gadget, with 34%
having laptops compared to just 25% of 25-34 year olds.

The over 45’s are also more switched on when it comes to making the most of their
home office space, with 42% opting for an all-in-one printer, scanner, copier and fax
to save valuable desk space and reduce cable clutter, compared to 16% of 25-34
year olds.

WORKING NINE TO FIVE
The research also dispels the myth that working from home is the easy option! Over
one in five (21%) of those questioned who work flexi-time, work up to 20 hours per
week at home in addition to putting time in at the office.

LAW AND ORDER
The research also shows that it’s no longer only creative freelancers or selfemployed
people who work from home. Those in the more traditional professions are
also increasingly starting to work from home some or all of the time, with 14% of
lawyers and 12% of IT professionals now working from home for over 30 hours per
week.

“It’s great to see that more and more people are enjoying the benefits of working from
home and this is no longer just the domain of freelancers and aspiring authors,” says
Giovanni Giusti, managing director, Lexmark UK.
“What is surprising is that it’s the older generation who are leading the revolution,
with the best working conditions and use of all-in-one technology to help them work
more productively.”