Dirty WFH secrets! Millions of workers admit having a bath or going to the TOILET while on a conference call at home, says new study
- Nationwide poll of 2,000 workers found 16 per cent confessed to getting in tub
- A further 32 per cent admitted to being on a conference call while on the toilet
- One worker admitted getting caught in bath after forgetting to mute his mic
One in six Brits have admitted to taking a bath while on a conference call, a new study has found.
A nationwide poll of 2,000 workers found that 16 per cent confessed to getting in the tub during a ‘long and boring’ conference call.
Many workers across the UK are spending hours on long conference calls and will turn off their microphone and camera while listening to others speak.
And while it is widely accepted that workers will have to take a break to go to the toilet or pick their children up from school, the new study by tech firm ASUS has revealed that many employees are taking multitasking to a new level.
One in six Brits have admitted to taking a bath while on a conference call, a new study has found (stock picture)
Some 32 per cent admitted being a conference call while on the loo, 27 per cent while watching TV, 26 per cent while doing online shopping, 27 per cent while doing ‘life admin’, 29 per cent while eating – and 11 per cent while doing a fitness workout.
The research also found that it was Londoners who were most likely to work from the bathtub, with 20 per cent confessing to have done it in the past six months.
Brummies were in second spot, with 19 per cent, followed by those from Manchester, with 17 per cent.
One red-faced worker, who asked not to be named, said he was having a soak in the bath during a planned three-hour conference call, but had forgotten to turn the microphone off on his phone.
He said: ‘I was chatting away and everyone on the call started laughing and asked what all the splashing was.
Some 32 per cent admitted being a conference call while on the loo, 27 per cent while watching TV, 26 per cent while doing online shopping, 27 per cent while doing ‘life admin’, 29 per cent while eating – and 11 per cent while doing a fitness workout (stock picture)
‘I realised it was me and I hadn’t muted the microphone on my phone – I never lived that one down.’
Dr. Becky Spelman, a spokesperson for ASUS said: ‘It’s clear that without travelling into the office, Brits are finding it hard to separate the office and home which makes it even more important to get the right balance.
‘While multi-tasking can be beneficial, it doesn’t always mean we are as productive as we could be, and so we need to be taking short breaks to give us some time away from the screen and switching off at the end of the day.
‘Whether it’s using tech to help you plan your day or organise files or taking the time to make a cup of tea and walk around the block, it gives you more time to take a breather, refocus and be the most productive.’
Ciprian Donciu, of ASUS, said: ‘Although we know well that balancing work and home can be a struggle, we were very surprised to see how many Brits are multi-tasking and the nature of the tasks that they are multi-tasking.
‘We hope that using technology like ours, we can help those working from home be more productive, manage their time better and stay connected with their teams easily.’