Research from operator VodafoneThree has found British workers lack the connectivity confidence to work effectively on the go, but could unlock more than three weeks’ worth of currently unproductive time a year.
Specifically, the study found that by running their lives more effectively from their mobile phones, British workers could deliver a potential £115bn productivity boost to the economy.
The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 2,000 UK adults aged over 18 with data collected between 15 and 19 June 2026. Modelling on the economic impact of improved mobile working used data from the UK Office of National Statistics (ONS) to estimate the potential gross value added to the economy of further working time.
Fundamentally, a third of the UK feels unable to leave their home or office Wi-Fi, and almost half (46%) spend most of their working day at a desk as a result. This lack of flexibility extends beyond the working week, with more than a third (34%) saying their weekend to-do list would be shorter if they could be more productive on the go.
On average, Brits waste almost two hours of productivity a week on commuting, and over an hour sitting in waiting rooms and waiting to pick up children or dependents. Overall, this unproductive time totals more than 10 hours a week, more than France, Germany, Spain, Australia, Singapore, Hungary and South Korea.
The research also showed that if the UK matched the mobile working mentality of Hungary, the most productive on-the-go nation in the study, people could claw back 22 days a year. The biggest time savings could come from accessing and collaborating on work documents, taking calls on commutes and joining remote NHS consultations from phones.
Almost half (43%) of employed Brits say they would prioritise working on the move if they felt confident in the quality of the UK’s networks, including collaborating with AI (16%) and rescheduling video calls while they are out of the office (16%).
Modelling from Development Economics estimated that improved connectivity could save the NHS more than 35 million missed remote appointments a year, a potential saving of £1.36bn a year.
The study also highlighted how these benefits could also extend to weekends. Respondents said that time saved from being more productive on their mobile devices could cut their weekend to-do lists (34%) by helping them book all GP appointments through apps or their phones (23%), pay utility bills (27%) and buy tickets (16%).
“Boosting the UK’s productivity doesn’t have to mean spending more hours behind our desks,” said Andrea Donà, chief network officer at VodafoneThree. “But to change the way the nation works, we need mobile networks that keep us connected to colleagues, technology and essential services on the move.
“Our £11bn network investment is already helping communities across the UK to be more connected, productive and prosperous,” he said. “But to truly catch up with the rest of Europe and beyond, we have to treat our mobile networks as Critical National Infrastructure. The UK government is rightly taking this issue seriously. With improvements to the planning system and regulations fit for the digital economy, our networks can help to make public services more accessible, close digital divides and lay the foundations for growth.”
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