UK Small Businesses Optimistic About Business Growth But Are Working Longer Hours to Succeed

DUBLIN, May 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

73% of small businesses are working longer hours than last year with 83% working at weekends 

New research from eFax, a leading provider of digital faxing solutions and a brand of j2 Global, Inc (NASDAQ:JCOM), has revealed that while a staggering 98% of UK small businesses are optimistic about their company's growth in 2014, they are having to work their fingers to the bone to make that a reality.

The survey, which interviewed small businesses from a range of industries such as financial, retail and manufacturing, found that 73% are working longer hours than last year with more than a third (34%) working over ten extra hours a week. 40% regularly miss lunch breaks and 83% find themselves working at weekends in order to deliver the work needed to make the business a success.

Paul Kinsella, General Manager, j2 Global Europe, commented on the findings, "When you consider that the majority of those surveyed (72%) have been in business for less than five years, it's perhaps unsurprising that many are going above and beyond the call of duty to thrive in an increasingly competitive business environment."

And it's not just the weekends that are suffering, 33% of respondents expect to take less holidays than last year, with 45% already having worked over the Christmas period.

Kinsella added, "It's important that employers do everything they can to make sure they and their staff are getting the work/life balance right, because even if they're working longer hours, they're not always working smarter. Flexible working policies have gone some way towards improving the balance in the lives of workers in small businesses, but it is important that businesses invest in the resources and technology needed to fully enable this."

"Technological advances mean that you no longer need to be tied to your desk for long periods, as you are able to work just as effectively when away from the office. If you're waiting on a contract to come through, but really need to get on the road to make a meeting, then cloud-based services like internet faxing can give you access to important documents on the go."

eFax will be releasing the results of its small business survey in a series of announcements over the course of the summer. To get the inside track on what's coming next, contact j2@babelpr.com for more information.

About the survey
The survey was carried out by j2 Global in March 2014 across 125 UK businesses. Results from the survey are available at efax.co.uk/newsroom.

About eFax
eFax is a brand and registered trademark of j2 Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: JCOM). The eFax branded service is a pioneer in the fax business, with a string of technology and business firsts dating back to 1995. Individuals and small businesses can learn more about sending and receiving faxes online at http://www.efax.co.uk.

About j2 Global®
j2 Global®, Inc. (NASDAQ: JCOM) and its affiliates provide Internet services through their two divisions: Business Cloud Services and Digital Media. The Business Cloud Services Division offers Internet fax, virtual phone, hosted email, email marketing, online backup, unified communications, and CRM solutions. It markets its services principally under the brand names eFax^®, eReceptionist^®, FuseMail^®, Campaigner^®, KeepItSafe^®, and Onebox^® and operates a messaging network spanning 49 countries on six continents. The Digital Media Division, consists of Ziff Davis, Inc., which offers technology, gaming and lifestyle content through its digital properties, which include PCMag.com, IGN.com,  AskMen.com, Toolbox.com and others. Ziff Davis also operates NetShelter Powered by BuyerBase^®, an advanced digital and ad targeting platform, and Ziff Davis B2B, a leading provider of research to enterprise buyers and leads to IT vendors. As of December 31, 2013, j2 Global had achieved 18 consecutive fiscal years of revenue growth. For more information about j2 Global, please visit http://www.j2global.com.

Contact details:
Clare Kelly,
BabelPR
j2@babelpr.com
Tel: +44(0)20-7434-5550