The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runners

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• The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runners

New research has found that all manner of installers are feeling lonely, with running around to quote jobs, additional work responsibilities, long distances to jobs and a lack of support impacting their personal lives.

One in five installers in the UK feel lonely on the job, with over 50% citing a lack of social interaction as the driving factor causing their loneliness, according to research, which surveyed 500 sole traders across the UK, including 300 installers (mostly in the plumbing game). It found that the absence of team collaboration was adding to the loneliness of 46% of installers and long working days were affecting 44%, with a quarter saying they can spend up to 90% of the day working alone.

Over a third of installers (34%) also struggle with maintaining a good work/life balance, while 39% have difficulty sharing work-related concerns with others.

Stressor

This on-the-job isolation has caused 28% of installers to feel stressed at work, while 26% admit to feeling overwhelmed. To compound these feelings, 65% of installers agree that they often struggle with the business and administrative side of their role, which often eats into after-work hours and weekends.

Sadly, 75% of installers said that working more hours than they should do has left them feeling burnt out, which in turn has had a negative impact on social lives for 31% and sleep quality for 30%.

Mira Showers commissioned the research to shine a light on the challenges installers face when running their businesses, which often goes beyond on-site work and outside of specialisms they have been trained in.

The shower firms has its InstallerPRO platform where it will be sharing practical advice to help installers master their business, elevate their skills and balance their life. Daniel Martin, the lead in installer channel communications the company says:  "It can be tricky to manage workload. Long days at work and relying on a workforce of one or two, can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness.

"One of the biggest unseen factors in this, is when the physical job is done, there are still a lot of business and admin tasks left to do.”

While almost two thirds of installers (62%) have looked into sourcing additional support with their administrative tasks, 26% lack the budget and 23% are unaware of where to look for advice and support.

Picture: Loneliness and a lack of support is having an impact on the wellness of UK installers.

Article written by Cathryn Ellis
15th June 2025

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