Notice Board
67 % OF UK LOCKSMITHS ARE WORKING EXTRA SHIFTS DUE TO THE COST OF LIVING
UK locksmiths are working longer hours and extra shifts because of the cost of living crisis , with 33 % saying they can ’ t afford to take any time off .
» THE NEW RESEARCH BY ElectricalDirect , a specialist retailer of electrical products , surveyed locksmiths across the nation to reveal how many are at risk of burnout , and found that 67 % have upped their hours in recent months .
Furthermore , 25 % take less than a week of annual leave , and 17 % regularly work more than five days a week .
Across all trades , almost a quarter ( 23 %) say they can ’ t afford to take any time off . A similar number ( 43 %) regularly work more than eight-hour days , nearly a fifth ( 18 %) do more than five days a week , and over a quarter ( 26 %) even work while feeling unwell .
On average , tradespeople take just 11 days off a year , but almost a third ( 32 %) take less than a week of holiday every 12 months .
In fact , a staggering 92 % take less than 28 days off a year , which is the statutory annual leave requirement .
Broken down by trade , roofers take the fewest days off , averaging just four days of leave a year . In contrast , painter and decorators take the most holiday , but still take less than two weeks off ( 12 ).
The trades which take the most and least annual leave are : 1 . Painter Decorator – 13 days 2 . Landscaper – 12 3 . Plumber – 12 4 . Joiner – 12 5 . Builder – 11 6 . Electrician – 11 7 . Caretaker / Maintenance - 11 8 . Window Fabricator – 11 9 . Locksmith – 11 10 . Carpenter – 10 11 . Building Surveyor – 9 12 . Plasterer – 9 13 . Bricklayer – 9 14 . Scaffolder – 8 15 . Roofer – 4
Self-employed tradespeople are the most overworked . They are considerably more likely than employed individuals to work long days ( 51 % vs 40 %), work while ill ( 34 % vs 23 %) and work at weekends ( 38 % vs 18 %). They are also nearly twice as likely to work over five days a week ( 27 % vs 14 %).
To help tradespeople avoid or deal with burnout , ElectricalDirect has partnered with Liz Sebag-Montefiore , director and co-founder of HR consultancy 10Eighty , to share some expert advice .
1 . Prioritise
“ Take a hard look at your priorities . Get clarity on what really matters . Is there a real deadline ? Is it urgent because of who is asking for it ? Will it impact productivity or profitability ? Where can you adjust , what can you decline , who can help ?”
2 . Take breaks
“ Take breaks from work . Be sure to use any annual leave and leave work behind when you ’ re off - don ’ t work in your downtime ! Try not to check work emails when you are off and say if you are not contactable .”
3 . Pace yourself and relax
“ Try to pace yourself and reward yourself for what you can do . You could try mindfulness to relax and reconnect with self , purpose and wellbeing .”
Dominick Sandford , Managing Director at ElectricalDirect , said : “ With the country still fighting the cost of living crisis , it ’ s completely understandable that many tradespeople feel the need to put in extra hours to increase their level of income .
“ However , overworking can have serious consequences , physically , mentally and professionally , and that ’ s why we ’ ve partnered with Liz to share some expert advice . Hopefully her tips can help tradespeople deal with the recent increase in workload , so that they can avoid or manage any burnout .”
For more expert advice on how to deal with burnout , visit : https :// www . electricaldirect . co . uk / blog / how-to-avoid-burnout
6
MAR / APR 2023
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