New study says Americans working an average of three extra hours a day

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.