According to research released to coincide with the announcement of the finalists of the National Business Awards sponsored by Orange, 66% of employees in companies with fewer than 10 staff are prepared to reduce hours, put in unpaid time, reduce holiday or accept pay cuts to help their company ride out the downturn.
But this figure drops to 38% in companies with more than 1,000 employees.
Mike Faulkner from Orange, said: "The research clearly shows that people working in smaller organisations are likely to be more willing to make sacrifices in order to help the business overcome some economic challenges. This could be because they feel closer to the action and more engaged, or it could be because they generally feel more valued.
"Pride in the workplace is another key finding which can really make a difference. Where staff show pride in their jobs, the likelihood is better performance; and in today's turbulent economy any improvement in business performance is a real competitive advantage".
