Research shows two-thirds of people are ‘lone workers’

10 March 2011

Orange and the personal safety charity, Suzy Lamplugh Trust, have launched a guide to advise people working alone on how to stay safe and feel confident.

According to new research commissioned by Orange, while nearly half (46 percent) of people in full time employment identify themselves as lone workers, the term actually applies to over two-thirds (71 percent), including those who work alone in situations such as being late in the office (30 percent) or travelling to meetings on public transport (25 percent). The Orange Guide to Working Safely Alone can help advise businesses in the UK on how to support their lone workers and what they could do to help meet their legal responsibility to keep employees as safe as possible when working alone.
As advances in smartphones and communications technology enable remote connection to business networks, nearly one in five (18 percent) people now spends over 50 percent of their time as a lone worker. The research revealed that half of those questioned (49 percent) admitted they have felt uncomfortable while working alone, yet 45 percent did not take action as they were nervous about the consequences (42 percent), or felt threatened by a person’s behaviour and didn’t want to make it worse (37 percent).
The Orange Guide to Working Safely Alone addresses these findings and aims to empower employees to be more confident in worrying situations, offering tips on how to act to avoid situations escalating. With additional expert tips and guidance from Suzy Lamplugh Trust, this guide will be available for employers and employees to download for free from the Orange Business. CLICK HERE
Martin Stiven, Vice President of Business at Orange, part of Everything Everywhere said: "No matter what size your business, keeping employees safe has to be a priority. We worked with Suzy Lamplugh Trust to gain their expertise for developing the Orange guide to working safely alone. This follows on from two strategic partnerships we announced last year, which allowed us to offer solutions to public and private sector organisations with lone workers. These help provide 24/7 peace of mind for employers and employees alike when off-site through tailored support options, including a discreet panic button and GPS tracking."
Orange recognises the growing need to provide businesses with easy to use, reliable tools that can help them take care of their employees’ wellbeing in the way that suits them best, and the launch of this guide supports that aim."
Catherine Skinner, Director, Suzy Lamplugh Trust said: "This guide is a great starting point for people to understand how to respond to threatening or uncomfortable situations. It can also direct businesses to further courses and information if they want more detail for any reason. Access to Orange’s network of business customers will help us raise awareness amongst employers of personal safety for those members of staff who work alone, even if that’s only for 30 minutes a week."