Tradespeople are feeling the pressures of longer working hours, which is causing many to consider quitting their jobs.
The finding comes from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, which undertook a survey of 1,000 van drivers across the UK.
Of those questioned, close to a third (30 percent) of people working in a trade had considered leaving their current role during the last 12 months, due to having to work for longer than ever before.
Across the UK, Volkswagen found that tradespeople now work an average of 9.44 hours per day.
This represents a jump of almost 10 percent, or 51 minutes, compared to the 2022 average of 8.59 hours each day.
Younger van drivers most likely to leave
Adding this 51-minute additional average per day, it means the typical van-driving tradesperson now spends almost an extra month at work across a full year.
Younger people feel more heavily impacted by the demands of longer hours, with close to half (45 percent) saying they are ready to quit due to work pressures.
Some 44 percent of those surveyed also said longer hours are causing them regular stress about their work/life balance, while 39 percent say they have concerns about constant overworking.
Previous research by Volkswagen found that van drivers quitting in such large numbers would be a ‘a disaster for the UK economy’, widening an already existing skills gap.
Some 75 percent of tradespeople believe there is a shortage of skilled workers in their trade, with 24 percent saying their company is already understaffed.
Reducing the burden on tradespeople
Richard Welch, a training and development manager at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said: “UK tradespeople are facing challenges from all angles, having to work longer days than ever before to survive.
“The industry is at breaking point.”Â
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