More than 1.4 million British workers admit to taking a work day as sick leave so that they can wait at home for deliveries and service providers, according to a survey for leading field service technology provider Trimble.
The survey, conducted by market research firm OnePoll, shows that Londoners are most likely to use sick leave as an excuse to stay at home, whereas fewer than 1 in 100 admit to doing so in the South West.
“This survey shows that waiting for deliveries and service providers is not only a genuine issue for people in Britain, it is also a headache for their employers,” said Andrew Yeoman, managing director of Trimble Fleet Solutions in Europe.
“Modern field service management solutions enable companies to plan their delivery and schedule in-home appointments so that they can provide customers with a specific or shorter time window, making it easier to fit in around their lives.
“Companies we work with are always looking at ways to improve their customer service so the ability to offer more convenient appointment times is certainly an area that many consumers see as incredibly beneficial.
“If more companies were to make use of technology, perhaps people would not have to take such desperate measures to take time off work.”
The survey also revealed that three in ten people (31%) ask neighbours and family to help when they are expecting a delivery or service providers, three in ten (28%) take a day off work as holiday and two in ten (20%) work from home.
