UK keeps a digital distance
Whether it is sacking staff by text message or dumping your partner by email, digital communication has made us a nation of cowards, according to a new report out today from Post Office Telecoms.
The findings show that many UK residents are maintaining that famous British reserve by relying on text messages and email to get themselves out of sticky situations – with 73 per cent of people admitting to delegating difficult tasks at work by email and text, and 52 per cent using these forms of technology to contact new business prospects.
The report shows that one in four young people* think it is appropriate to call into work sick via email or text message, with one in seven admitting to having done so in the last 12 months. It also reveals that 3 per cent of UK adults even admit to ending a relationship by text message in the last year.
The report, called ‘Etiquette in the Digital Age’, is authored by etiquette expert Liz Brewer, whose credits include ITV’s ‘Ladette to Lady’.
Stewart Fox-Mills, head of telephony at the Post Office, said: “Digital technology is constantly giving us new ways to communicate, which enriches our day to day lives. But we’ve found that many people are in fact using modem technology to keep a ‘digital distance’ and avoid face-to-face or verbal confrontation.
Whether it is sacking staff by text message or dumping your partner by email, digital communication has made us a nation of cowards, according to a new report out today from Post Office Telecoms.
The findings show that many UK residents are maintaining that famous British reserve by relying on text messages and email to get themselves out of sticky situations – with 73 per cent of people admitting to delegating difficult tasks at work by email and text, and 52 per cent using these forms of technology to contact new business prospects.
The report shows that one in four young people* think it is appropriate to call into work sick via email or text message, with one in seven admitting to having done so in the last 12 months. It also reveals that 3 per cent of UK adults even admit to ending a relationship by text message in the last year.
The report, called ‘Etiquette in the Digital Age’, is authored by etiquette expert Liz Brewer, whose credits include ITV’s ‘Ladette to Lady’.
Stewart Fox-Mills, head of telephony at the Post Office, said: “Digital technology is constantly giving us new ways to communicate, which enriches our day to day lives. But we’ve found that many people are in fact using modem technology to keep a ‘digital distance’ and avoid face-to-face or verbal confrontation.
“From text messaging to telephone calls, email to the old fashioned letter, there’s a whole world of communication methods at our fingertips. The Post Office® has worked with Liz Brewer to put together this guide to 21st century communications – so now there’s no excuse for getting it wrong.”
At Work
In the workplace, people admit to relying on email and texting for all manner of awkward tasks, including:
• Delegating tasks – 73 per cent
• Contacting new business prospects – 52 per cent
• Apologising for mistakes – 51 per cent
• Resigning from a job – 13 per cent
• Firing an employee – 2 per cent
At Home
One in seven of the 18-24 age group admits to breaking up with a partner via text message. However, just one per cent of over 55s chose this as their preferred method of dumping, favouring the old fashioned face-to-face approach.
The report also reveals that one in 20 people has called in sick by text or email in the last 12 months – possibly to avoid any awkward questions about the state of their health or who will be covering for them in their absence.
For more social and fun communications, however, the telephone remains the key communication method, with 80 per cent of people choosing to pick up the phone when organising a night out.
