New research has revealed that the East Midlands is the best place to work in the trades.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ nationwide survey found that respondents in the region report less stress, fewer working hours and shorter commutes than their peers across the UK.
At a time when 61% of the UK’s van drivers have seen an increase in working hours, it showed that 49% of those based in the East Midlands saw no change in the hours they work.
Those in the region also reported working fewer hours each day, at 9.03 hours, than the average UK tradesperson, at 9.25 hours. Those in the North West with 9.49 hours, London with 9.54 hours, and West Midlands with 9.81 hours, came in above the UK average.
East Midlands-based tradespeople recorded shorter commutes than any other region, driving 67.95 miles every day for jobs, versus 103.39 miles in London and 98.85 miles in the North West. With the average daily distance being 88.37 miles, this means those in the East Midlands are driving 20 miles less than the average tradesperson each and every day. This has the potential to save drivers up to 82.42 hours of driving, each year.
Those in the region cited less stress than respondents elsewhere in the UK. When asked how regularly van drivers have felt overwhelmed by work-life balance over the last 12 months, ‘weekly’ came in as the most popular response for all regions, except the East Midlands and the North West, with tradespeople there selecting ‘monthly’ as a better match.
Over the same period, tradespeople in the East Midlands turned down fewer jobs, 2.84 days’ worth, as a result of mental health issues, compared to an average of 3.58 days, with London at 4.05 days, the West Midlands at 4.06 days, and Wales at 5.75 days, reporting the highest number of jobs lost.