Most people believe that they would be more productive and work better if they started work at 6am and left in the middle of the afternoon.
A survey of 2,000 adults by business communications firm Your Communications has found that only one in 20 preferred to be in work between 3pm and 6pm.
But almost half also believed they could do their job just as effectively from home.
Most of those surveyed said that if given the choice, they would choose to start work at 6am and were most productive between 6am-3pm.
The findings appear to turn the idea of the traditional 9-5 working day on its head in favour of less traditional working patterns.
Paul Lawton, marketing director at Your Communications, said: "Most workers believe they work more effectively at different times of the day.
"Flexible work arrangements, which allow them to work from home, at their clients' offices, or for that matter at airport lounges, may help them to work more productively and vary their working hours."
"By taking a more open-minded approach to flexible work patterns, employers can bring about business benefits and strengthen employee loyalty," he added.