News

Phone skivers cost the Welsh economy £606m

Published

6 years ago

January 5, 2015

WITH apps for everything from communicating with friends to losing weight, smartphones are hard to ignore, and it seems that workers in Wales are increasingly failing to do so whilst at work. Recent research has discovered that the issue is costing the Welsh economy £606m a year in lost productivity, as millions spend time ‘skiving’ at work by checking their mobiles. The research commissioned by business communications firm, Daisy Group, found that the average worker checks their phone for text messages and social media updates eight times each working day, though four per cent admitted reaching for their smartphone as many as 30 times.

Kay Bailey, Head of UC and Mobility Products at Daisy Group, said: “Smartphones are a huge distraction to the working day as the boundaries between personal and work activities continue to blur. The more times someone checks their phone, the more opportunity there is for them to become engrossed in something not work-related. “Giving your phone a quick 30-second text or Twitter check every hour, and sending an odd message doesn’t sound much, but the result is that people are spending the entire working day preoccupied and not focussing on doing their job properly.”

The research suggests that the average worker loses eight minutes of productivity a day through checking their smartphone and sending messages. Taking the average wage of £13 per hour, and the Welsh workforce of 1.4 million, it is estimated that £1.73 of productivity is lost per employee per day, which over the space of a year mounts up to £606m. Businesses with a young workforce are particularly at risk, as the survey found that, among those aged 18-24, one in ten (11%) UK employees waste as much as 20 minutes a day, which adds up to a full day lost every single month.

The research was conducted to assess the demand among UK businesses for ‘mobile device management’. The new cloud-based technology gives organisations more control over smartphones and tablets by letting them monitor and block certain activities, and remotely track and wipe the content of any lost or stolen devices. “Smartphones have emerged over the last five years as a worker’s modern-day Swiss-army knife, helping dramatically improve an employee’s productivity whilst on the move.

However, a lack of discipline amongst workforces, even for just a short period of time, is actually having an adverse effect on the UK economy,” added Bailey. “As organisations across the UK continue to adopt bring-yourown- device strategies, it is vital that businesses implement policies and solutions, such as mobile device management, that help restrict the websites employees can and can’t visit during working hours.”

News

Five shouts in five days for Lifeboat crews at Angle

Published

1 day ago

June 19, 2021

Thomas Sinclair

ITS BEEN a really busy week for the crews at Angle with their first tasking to the 39 meter 300 tonne tall ship on Monday evening with engine failure and taking on water.

Crews then paged again in the early hours of Wednesday morning to a 11 meter sailing catamaran becalmed and low on fuel.

The training day Thursday was interrupted just after 12:30 PM with a tasking to a tender with three people on board that had upturned just off St Brides Haven.

Little & Broad Haven Lifeboat was also tasked along with Dale Coastguard.

Little and Broad Haven Lifeboat reached the three casualties and took them to shore where they were passed into the care of Dale Coastguard. Angle Lifeboat was stood down as it was passing through Jack’s Sound.

As the Lifeboat was returning from the shout another tasking request came through. A tanker had spotted an unmanned RIB approximately 10 miles SW of St Ann’s Head. Once on scene, after some investigation the RIB was believed to have come from a mooring and no people were missing. The Lifeboat towed the RIB back to Angle.

The Lifeboat was rehoused shortly after 4:00 PM

The 5th shout for Angle Lifeboat this week.

This was a large multi agency search.

The crew were paged at 09:35 AM to assist Tenby Lifeboats RNLI ALB and inshore Lifeboats to search for a missing person in the water following a report from a fisherman on rocks near Manorbier that he had lost sight of a person that had been rowing a dinghy toward shore and the occupant may be in the water. HM Coastguard Tenby had also been tasked to the search

The dinghy was handed over to Tenby inshore lifeboat crew after being picked up by a Range Safety boat who then brought it into the awaiting police at Manorbier Beach.

Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 187 from St Athan and St Govans Coastguard Rescue Team had now also joined in the search for the missing person.

After several hours searching a man approached police at Manorbier, stating he’d been on the vessel off Manorbier, had got into difficulty and ended up in the water.

With the casualty now safely ashore, all units were stood down at 12:27PM.

Angle Lifeboat then headed to Tenby Harbour to pick up some sustenance, a fizzy drink and a chocolate brownie, before heading back to Angle and rehousing at 2:31PM. The lifeboat was refuelled and given a well earned wash ready for the next tasking.

News

A40 closed at Scleddau due to collision between car and motorbike

Published

2 days ago

June 18, 2021

Thomas Sinclair

EMERGENCY SERVICES have shut the A40 at in Scleddau due to a serious road collision.

The accident happened just before 2pm. The Herald understands that the collision involved a motorcycle and car at a junction near The Gate Inn public house.

Police said: “Emergency services are currently on scene and dealing with the incident. Please find an alternative route if possible. Update to follow.”

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Moley’s Ambassador March to support those who have lost a child

Published

2 days ago

June 18, 2021

Design Team

ON SATURDAY (Jun 19), Andrew Cole (aka Moley) will set off on a 24 hour walk around Pembrokeshire with the aim of doing as many miles in as little time as possible.

Moley is proud to have recently been made ambassador of the charity ‘2 Wish UponAa Star’ an organisation dedicated to supporting families that have lost a child under 25 years of age.

He will be setting off at 6am in the morning from Neyland and walking all day and night, finishing at 6am the following morning.

2 wish upon a star was set up by Rhian Mannings, who set up the charity after losing her own son.

By celebrating the lives of those lost, and offering support to families through their grief; Rhian and her team offer an essential service to the community and those families who have suffered the devastation of losing a loved one.

Appealing for support from the people of Pembrokeshire he said: “Please give generously to support the wonderful work of Rhian and her team. Also, if you happen to see me in the day, feel free to give me a beep of encouragement’

“If you would like to donate to Moley, and support the charity, you can visit his JustGiving page.”

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/moleycole