a group of people having fun in a ball pit

The Tuesday Blues...

UK WORKFORCE LABEL ‘TUESDAY THE NEW MONDAY’ AS BRITS’ WORKING PATTERNS SHIFT DUE TO WFH

  • 7 in 10 Brits say Tuesdays now feel like Mondays due to hybrid working
  • Majority of office workers stay at home on Monday and Friday to extend the weekend
  • Research from Wacky Warehouse comes as UK adults encouraged to beat work stress - by embracing their inner child
  • Soft play celebrates 30th birthday by building giant ball pit for children and adults alike to enjoy in Manchester 

The UK workforce has officially labelled ‘Tuesday the new Monday’ as the nation’s working patterns decisively switch amid the ongoing working from home shift, new research reveals.

The study from Wacky Warehouse, the UK’s leading soft play, party venue and activity centre, found more than 7 in 10 (72%) workers say Tuesdays now feel more like Mondays than they did pre-hybrid working.

As a result, two thirds (66%) now experience the Monday blues on a Tuesday, with more than half of UK workers (52%) feeling more stressed on a Tuesday than they do any other day of the week.


a shot of a ball pit at the 30th birthday event of Wacky Warehouse

embracing your inner child...

That’s why Wacky Warehouse – in celebration of its 30th birthday - has today gone the extra mile to help workers in Manchester avoid the blues, after installing a giant ball pit containing 75,000 balls in the city centre. 

Adults and children alike were invited to enter the ball pit and get 20 seconds on the clock to find one of three golden balls – with hundreds of prizes up for grabs including a £200 B&M voucher and two £100 Greene King vouchers.

 

What’s more, Wacky Warehouse are offering free play sessions for kids across 62 UK venues on October 12th and 13th. Visitors just need to prebook a slot for that weekend in order to receive the free session for their kids to enjoy.

The fascinating data comes as it’s found the average office worker in 2024 spends exactly half of their time (2.5 days) at home, in a trend that continues to predominate the UK workplace post pandemic.

According to the figures, more than 3 in 5 (62%) workers say they struggle to shift their mindset from working from home on a Monday to working in the office, with a delayed start to the week (43%), the Tuesday commute (40%) and adjusting to an office routine (40%) cited as the key reasons for this.

Consequently, more than half of people (51%) say Monday tasks now regularly spill over into a Tuesday, while meetings are more likely to be rescheduled from Monday to Tuesday.

While Brits lament the ‘Tuesday blues’, the nationwide poll of UK workers shows there are some considerable benefits to hybrid working, with traditional Monday morning and Friday afternoon stresses reduced.

Monday (43%) and Friday (51%) are the two most popular days to work from home, with an extended weekend (46%), avoiding the commute (44%) and being more comfortable (43%) outlined as workers’ three favourite things about starting and finishing the week at home.

When it comes to hybrid working generally, improved work-life balance (68%), followed by reduced commute times (59%) and better health and wellbeing (42%) are the UK workforce's favourite things.

As a result, nearly two thirds of people (63%) say they would no longer consider a job that required them to work in an office full time.

Whether you work in an office or in a hybrid capacity, the Monday/Tuesday blues can affect anyone, with the research revealing exercise (37%), going out for lunch (31%) and engaging in a group activity (23%) as the top three best ways to avoid it.

a group of women smiling for the camera holding a Wacky Warehouse poster

Sam Simpson, Marketing Manager at Wacky Warehouse, said: “At Wacky Warehouse, we’re all about having fun and letting yourself go – even if you’re an adult!

"As we celebrate our 30th birthday this year, it's amazing to see adults who visited as children now bringing their own little ones along.

"We're proud to provide a safe, fun, and wholesome outlet for adults and children alike. Whether you’re four or forty four, we'll always have a place for you at Wacky Warehouse."

Sam added: “With our research revealing a brand new ‘Tuesday blues’ phenomenon, we wanted to do something extra special to help people overcome it this week. That’s why we installed a giant ball pit in the centre of Manchester and invited children and adults alike to hop on in and have some fun.”

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