The advancement of technology has made the modern phenomenon of flexible working possible, an expert has said.

According to Phil Flaxton, chief executive of Work Wise UK, advances in science have served as an "enabler" and, without them, employees would not be able to work remotely, whether from home, support centres, coffee shops or even hotels and airport lounges.

He stated: "If there hadn’t been the development in new technology over the last three to four years, with broadband and mobile technology being what it is, more and more of the working population could not do this; five or six years ago it wasn’t possible."

Recently, Mr Flaxton also stated that large organisations are generally more able to provide their staff with flexible working arrangements than their smaller counterparts.

A non-profit organisation, Work Wise UK aims to make Britain one of the most progressive economies in the world by encouraging the widespread implementation of what it describes as "smarter working practices".