Some busy parents have the option of working from home, which helps them balance family and job responsibilites. But many employees who may not have that option are trying to strike a balance by doing the reverse: “homing at work.”  

Surveys by the digital media firm Captivate Network of 4,000 white-collar workers show that that 93 percent of employees “home at work,” meaning they handle personal and family needs during the workday. Nearly 70 percent of the study respondants reported using work computers for personal online activities like banking and shopping, and almost half leave their office during the day to do errands like going to the bank or dropping off dry cleaning. The research also reveals that the number of workers who report having a healthy work life balance has increased by 11 percent since 2011.

The fact that most people home at work doesn't come as a huge shock. Many employers still lack flexible, life-friendly work arrangements, so workers find their own ways to blend personal and professional responsibilities. If homing at work doesn't sit well for companies, perhaps they'll be inspired to incorporate actual policies to help their staffers find a better balance, as the Working Mother 100 Best Companies have been doing for years.

Do you ever home at work? If so, in what ways?