1 in 10 Brits talk to their Boss in Bed
Family Meals, Films, Sleep and even the Bathroom Interrupted by the Office
Manchester, UK - It’s never been easier to keep in touch…and British employees now speak to their bosses a staggering 21 times a day, according to new research from UK telecommunications provider, Unicom.
Another one in five is in touch 30 times, while a frenzied one in ten makes contact 60 times before bedtime.
As a result third of us (31 per cent) say they are routinely expected to take calls outside of working hours and after 7pm.
Only 18 per cent of us feel empowered enough to actually refuse to answer our phone once we’ve left the office.
Unicom research highlights that nowhere is sacred when it comes to work calls, with a conscientious 17 per cent even checking their work phone while they’re using the bathroom.
Another one in five of us (19 per cent) regularly interrupts dinner to talk to the boss.
Romantic meals aren’t off limits either with 16 per cent admitting they’ll take calls while on a date and more than a quarter - 27 per cent - during a film.
The Unicom report also revealed that a diligent one in ten talks to their boss while in bed.
A staggering 57 per cent say logging on to check calls and emails is the first thing they do every day while 45 per cent do the same thing at night.
While older workers were happy to take calls after 7pm they are less likely to compromise time with friends or family. So only 13 per cent would pick up their phone during a meal and five per cent over a romantic dinner.
Conversely, 25 per cent of young people check their phone in the bathroom, compared to just two per cent of those aged over 55.
Not surprisingly 16 per cent of those questioned for the Unicom survey feel this ‘on call’ culture is ruining their so-called leisure time.
According to the Unicom report, which canvassed the opinions of 1,000 business owners and decision makers, another 19 per cent hate it but accept it’s a fact of modern working life
Only 29 per cent said they actively don’t mind this change in work life balance.
Speaking about the findings, Unicom’s CEO, Chris Earle, said: “Mobile communications have revolutionised the way we live and work and for many of us, striking the right balance is tricky.
“Finding ways to stay in the work loop and be present for friends and family is something we’re all working hard to do.
“Never the less, mobile phones are an essential business tool that no business can do without. Unicom’s range of packages enables the small business owner to select the right solution for them and their employees however they choose to actively use their phones.”
ENDS
For more information and interview requests, please contact:
Matthew Kaye
0113 2460183
About Unicom
Unicom, a trading name of Universal Utilities Ltd, is a telecommunications and utility service provider specialising in the small business market. It offers a one bill solution for telecoms and utility services providing telecoms, broadband, mobile, gas and electricity services and supplies over 100,000 small businesses throughout the UK. Unicom employs 500 people at 12 regional offices situated around the UK.
Unicom has attracted its business customers by offering substantial discounts and differentiates itself by offering a high standard of personal customer service, with customer service calls answered in 6 seconds, no premium rate 0845 or 0870 numbers, no recorded messages or menus, and no overseas call centres.
Unicom has a directory enquiry service, 118 777, offering customers significant savings compared to 118 118 and 118 500.
Unicom’s Operations Division is ISO 9001:2008 certified and has also been awarded the ‘Customer Service Excellence’, ‘Putting the Customer First’ and the ‘Investors in People’ accreditations.
For the year ending April 2013, Unicom reported pre-tax profits of £25m (an increase of 25% on the previous financial year) on a turnover of £70m.