People are working longer hours in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic and the mass increase in remote work, according to data from NordVPN Teams, which provides virtual private networks (VPN) to businesses worldwide.
According to the firm”™s research, there have been substantial increases in business VPN usage, with people working on average two hours longer than usual.
The U.S. increased its average workday by almost 40%, adding an extra three hours, the largest jump worldwide. The U.K., France, Canada, and Spain are seeing a two-hour increase.
“The data as well revealed that employees are starting work earlier, but finishing at the same time,” said Daniel Markuson, a digital privacy expert at NordVPN Teams. “This is perhaps because people are not commuting, and instead of sitting in traffic, they choose to work.”
Business VPN usage skyrocketed in Canada, Austria, and the Netherlands, growing by over 200%. Italians showed a modest 10% growth, which coincided with a spike in usage on home networks, many of which might lack the necessary protection for remote work.
