Small businesses managers 'are working longer during recession'

Small business owners are working longer hours in the face of the current economic downturn, according to new research.

Data released by Abbey and Alliance & Leicester Business Banking revealed that one in three small business owners are now working longer hours than they were a year ago.

The average amount of time a manager works now stands at 47 hours per week, just one hour less than the maximum permitted by the European Working Time Directive.

However, many are also working much longer in order to keep their business running, with a third of small business owners now working more than 50 hours a week and 15 per cent working in excess of 65 hours a week.

Paul Ickinger, head of business banking marketing at Abbey and Alliance & Leicester Business Banking, said the recession is having a huge impact on small businesses in the UK and many owners are sacrificing their work-life balance.

The Work Foundation said that the degree of control an employee has over their work-life balance can lead to an improvement in handling tasks at work.

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By Wayne Bly and John Oak

Filed: 17-11-2009