Company car drivers on lockdown are taking refuge in their cars for peace, quiet and uninterrupted video calls.
One in three people have sat in their car for some peace and quiet (35% of men and 20% of women), 16% have used in-car solitude for work calls and 8% have created an external office by using onboard WiFi or creating a WiFi hotspot in the car, according to the survey by Venson Automotive Solutions.
In addition, 6% of both men and women have taken to the car on the pretence of a work call but really to relax in quiet, listen to the radio or scroll through social media and the news on their phone.
Alison Bell, marketing director of Venson, commented: “Those trying to balance providing childcare whilst working will have quickly realised it is not an easy environment in which to work effectively. So, it’s probably not surprising many people are extending their home environment to include the privacy and quiet of their cars – giving ‘company car’ a whole new meaning. Some even (10% of respondents) are using the boot of the car to store work documents or equipment – but we wouldn’t recommend this as it presents potential issues with insurance cover as well as breaching company data security policies!”
Venson has also highlighted advice from The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) for those struggling to adapt to these challenging times:
- Switch off constant news feeds. Check the news once or twice a day and only turn to reliable sources – there’s a lot of misinformation out there.
- Mute WhatsApp and Facebook groups if they are proving overwhelming.
- Embrace technology to connect with friends and family – even those you haven’t spoken to in a while.
- Set a daily routine – but add an element of something new each day. Keeping a to-do list can help you keep focused and motivated.
- You can still go running, cycling or walking and there are lots of online workouts to explore for all levels of fitness. Keeping active will boost mental as well as physical wellbeing.
- Social distancing doesn’t mean emotional distancing – let out your feelings!
