Small and medium-sized business owners are changing the way that they operate and deal with employees according to a survey by T-Mobile.

Over 90% of business leaders are now happy to judge employees on results they achieve rather than how much time they spend in the office.

In further evidence that working practices are evolving, nearly half of those small business leaders surveyed said they do not believe in the traditional 9-5 working day, while 36% disagree with the traditional idea of the working week lasting from Monday to Friday, reflecting the growth of flexible working.

The survey also found that 58% believe the amount of staff in the business can no longer be considered a benchmark of success. More than a third disagree with the idea that the size, design and location of an office reflects the success of a business, as mobile working becomes increasingly prevalent.

"The way business is being done is changing and with it, the mixture of ideas and perceptions that constitute success are being challenged and rewritten. These findings demonstrate how small business owners are putting themselves in control of their everyday business by increasingly challenging traditional business norms," said Max Taylor, head of business marketing at T-Mobile UK.