Almost a third of Brits admit they regularly log off early on Friday with or without permission from bosses, as broadband data reveals a striking pattern. On Thursday, Virgin Media released new broadband data revealing a drop in traffic on Friday afternoons during the summer months.
The internet provider, which says it has more than 46 million broadband, mobile, phone and home subscribers, said network data showed a 8% drop between 3pm and 5pm compared to the winter. The insight came from the firm’s broadband network analysis, which the firm said in a press release is “a reliable indicator of the connectivity habits of the British public”.
Virgin Media also surveyed Britons about working habits and workplace policies to gain a better understanding of the trend.
According to the firm, almost 30% of UK adults said they’re formally allowed to early on Friday during the summer, with 48% not authorised to.
However, 32% of respondents said log off early on Friday with or without official permission on a regular basis.
20% said though they don’t officially have early finishes, clocking off before the end of play has become informally accepted behaviour in where they work.
61% said they feel they deserve to after a busy week, with 59% saying they feel no guilt about finishing early.
A majority believe it actually improves their productivity earlier in the week if they can look forward to packing up before the normal time on Friday.
Meanwhile, 15% admitted to having worked from the train station on Friday afternoon, and 14% from the park. 10% even confessed working from pub as the weekend beckons.
Virgin Media says 30% of 18–24-year-olds said they’ve worked from the car while travelling for the weekend, and 24% of Britons say they’ve often sneakily left early while keeping their work status as “active” on a summer Friday.
But their survey suggests not everyone has such a relaxed attitude. 37% said often they to log off early on summer Fridays but typically find themselves working late.
25% also said they often feel pressure to remain available on these days, even beyond the end of the working day.
The majority (64%) of those working a full Friday said they wish their employer had formal summer Friday policy.
Jeanie York, Virgin Media O2’s Chief Technology Officer said: “Our network traffic analysis is revealing changing workplace habits in real time as the nation takes advantage of long summer Fridays.
“We’re continuing to boost our fixed and mobile networks so whether Brits are working from their local park, or finishing their work at home, we’re ready to keep them connected.”
