The survey of over 4,000 senior business people across the UK by workplace provider Regus also found that the average proportion of pay spent on commuting by UK workers is now 4%, a rise from 3% in 2010.

For 11% of respondents the daily commute costs them over a tenth of their monthly pay packet.

Richard Morris, UK CEO, Regus, said: “Businesses that want to retain and attract top talent cannot fail to address the issue of the costly commute.

“Flexible working can provide a solution. By offering their employees the opportunity to work closer to home at least some of the time, our customers have not only improved staff loyalty but also seen an impact on productivity. Staff that spend less time stuck in traffic jams or on crowded trains have more time to apply themselves to the job in hand.”