One in five installers in the UK feel lonely on the job, with over 50% citing a lack of social interaction as the driving factor causing their loneliness, according to new research from Mira Showers.
The research, which surveyed 500 sole traders across the UK, including 300 installers and plumbers, found that the absence of team collaboration was adding to the loneliness of 46% of installers and long working days were affecting 44%, with a quarter saying they can spend up to 90% of the day working alone.
Over a third of installers (34%) also struggle with maintaining a good work-life balance, while 39% have difficulty sharing work-related concerns with others.
This on-the-job isolation has caused 28% of installers to feel stressed at work, while 26% admit to feeling overwhelmed. To compound these feelings, 65% of installers agree that they often struggle with the business and administrative side of their role, which often eats into after-work hours and weekends.
Sadly, 75% of installers said that working more hours than they should do has left them feeling burnt out, which in turn has had a negative impact on social lives for 31% and sleep quality for 30%.
Mira Showers commissioned the research to shine a light on the challenges installers face when running their businesses, which often goes beyond on-site work and outside of specialisms they have been trained in.
As part of its mission to support installers, Mira Showers has pledged its commitment to do more than just provide them with high-quality products. Instead, it is taking a new approach to the content it provides on its InstallerPRO platform – available for any installer to sign up to – where it will be sharing practical advice to help installers master their business, elevate their skills and balance their life.
Daniel Martin, Installer Channel Communications at Mira Showers said: "It can be tricky to manage workload, especially for installers and plumbers. Long days at work and relying on a workforce of one, can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness.
"One of the biggest unseen factors in this, is when the physical job is done, there are still a lot of business and admin tasks left to do. That’s why we’re passionate about using the InstallerPRO platform to provide installers with practical, useful advice that will hopefully streamline these tasks.
“As the research has shown, installers often feel like they’re tackling the business world on their own. The InstallerPRO platform is about helping installers achieve a better balance and showing them that they’re not going at it alone.”
Often operating as a one-person-band, installers can often take on the brunt of the financial roles required for operating a business, with 45% responsible for managing tax returns, invoices and receipts, with 30% also taking on the running of their business’ social media accounts.
As a result of taking on these additional responsibilities, 82% of installers admit to feeling the pressure to work more hours in the day than they feel they should.
And while almost two thirds of installers (62%) have looked into sourcing additional support with their administrative tasks, 26% lack the budget and 23% are unaware of where to look for advice and support.
Installers can sign up to InstallerPRO where they can gain access to business tips, insights from industry experts and even Mira Showers product promotions.
Mira Showers is an Industrial Associate of CIPHE, to see the full list of Industrial Associates check out the directory HERE