Survey reveals the extent of ‘smartphone fatigue’ among UK workers

6 out of 10 (60%) 25-34 year old full time workers said they feel they are experiencing ‘smartphone fatigue’

- 25-34 year olds identified as age group most affected by demands from multiple devices -

In a survey commissioned by Thumbtel, creators of the Another Number and HulloMail apps, 6 out of 10 (60%) 25-34 year old full time workers said they feel they are experiencing ‘smartphone fatigue’ created by the demands of inbound calls, text messages, alerts, notifications and emails, on their mobile devices.

A further 63% of 25-34 year olds agreed that smartphones are responsible for creating a work/life imbalance, with just over half (53%) of 25-34 year olds agreeing that they never fully ‘switch off’ from work, due to their smartphones and 56% saying they regularly receive work related calls that interrupt valuable personal time, such as holidays, weekends or evenings.

Senior managers/professionals are at the top of the list when it comes to those who claim to be regularly interrupted by work calls in their personal time, with 71.3% saying they face disruptions on a regular basis.

With 73% of respondents confirming that they own just one mobile handset, it creates difficulties in splitting business and personal calls. More than half (55%) say they have answered a work call, believing it to be a personal call. While a quarter (25%) of respondents are juggling two or more phones, possibly in an attempt to manage work and home calls on separate devices.

“It’s clear that there’s an issue relating to the pressures of managing work and home calls from smartphones with 4 out of 10 people (42%) agreeing that they never fully switch off from work due to their smartphones ,” says Andy Munarriz, CEO of Thumbtel.

65% senior managers agreed that they are experiencing ‘smartphone fatigue’, due to the demands of calls, texts, emails and notifications. In fact, almost 7 out of 10 (65%) senior managers believe that smartphones are responsible for work/life imbalance.

Continues Andy: “What is clear is that people need to take control to better manage the way they handle work and personal calls. Another Number app provides the ability to manage more than one number on a single device, without the need for multiple sim cards or contract, while eliminating the need for multiple devices. You can easily manage inbound calls so you receive the calls you want, when you want, and regain control of your communications!”

For more information, visit https://www.thumbtel.com/another-number/

Ends
Notes to Editors
• Survey conducted online by Censuswide
• 1012 UK-based respondents who work on a full-time basis
• The full survey findings plus images can be downloaded here.

About the Another Number app
By using the Another Number app, users get a second number for work on their existing mobile without the need for a second phone, contract or SIM.

Why use Another Number?
• You don’t want to carry a second phone
• You can’t find a dual-SIM that suits you
• You would like to avoid the hassle and admin of a second contract
• You don’t like giving your personal number to work contacts
• You want to easily identify work calls
• Time with family and friends is often interrupted by work
• You are looking to improve your work-life balance

HOW ANOTHER NUMBER WORKS
• A second mobile number for work on your current smartphone
• No second SIM, contract or phone, just the app
• Monthly subscription with no annual contract and no ties
• Your personal number is kept private
• Control when you receive work calls and messages
• Reliable service uses the mobile network and/or WiFi, 4G, or 3G
• Port your existing work number to Another Number

USEFUL FEATURES
• The virtual switchboard allows you to control your work calls and messages:
Record and manage multiple voicemail greetings
Switch off, in the evenings, weekends and holidays with the Do not Disturb setting
Send callers directly to voicemail
Automate voice and message greetings to inform work contacts when you’ll respond

• Set a separate ring tone for work calls so you answer them professionally
• Calls for work are displayed as “via Another Number”
• All work conversations are grouped by contact, both calls and messages
• Visual voicemail displays all missed calls so you don’t need to dial in to hear messages

About ThumbTel
ThumbTel specialises in creating apps that hitchhike your mobile network to bring you better services. Apps include the award-winning HulloMail voicemail service, in addition to the Another Number app for helping people better manage multiple numbers on one device. ThumbTel is all about improving services to make your mobile work harder for you.

Founder and CEO Andy Munarriz has worked in the tech industry for over 25 years. He previously founded VoxSurf; a company that pioneered the world’s first web and open standards IP messaging platform for traditional mobile operators, serving over 400 million end-users globally. In 2008, Andy took these services directly to consumers as HulloMail, which now makes up part of ThumbTel.

https://www.thumbtel.com

Editor’s Contact:
Peppa Sheridan
Peptalk Communications
01787 313822 / peppa@peptalkpr.co.uk