New research has revealed 78 per cent of construction workers use their personal smartphone whilst working
Research from LaptopsDirect.co.uk has shown more than three quarters of construction workers use their personal smartphone at work.
Smartphones have grown in popularity since they were launched just under a decade ago. In fact, four out of five adults now have one, according to Deloitte’s ‘There’s no place like phone’ research. It should therefore come as no surprise workers use their phones around the clock.
The LaptopDirect.co.uk survey of 2,012 UK adults found the average British worker spends as many as 120 hours per year using their smart phone in the workplace, with construction workers hitting fifth place on the list.
Overall, the research revealed 78 per cent of workers regularly respond to personal text messages and 59 per cent take personal phone calls.
Furthermore, 52 per cent admitted answering instant messages and nine per cent have sent a Snapchat at work.
Smartphone addiction
Mark Kelly, marketing manager at LaptopsDirect.co.uk, said: “It’s no surprise that we are addicted to our smartphones however overuse during working hours can add up, leaving a serious shortfall in productivity.
“Although companies monitor and prohibit the use of social media during the working day, the research shows that there is still a large amount of people continuing to use their device.
“Use of smartphones and social media in the workplace can lead to hundreds of thousands of hours in lost productivity per year, which could cost UK companies millions of pounds.”
Some 14 per cent of respondents said they had been told off for using smartphones at work, but only four per cent had been disciplined for use of their own tech during work time.
The Top 10 business sectors who use smartphones:
- Marketing – 98 per cent
- Information and communications – 96 per cent
- Creative and photographic – 92 per cent
- Professional service (law, accountancy) – 86 per cent
- Trades (construction, plumbing) – 78 per cent
- Manufacturing – 74 per cent
- Retail – 64 per cent
- Transportation – 48 per cent
- Education – 44 per cent
- Healthcare – 23 per cent
