In a world where users are connected 24/7, some users are starting to rebel against the fact that this means they can be contacted at all hours.
Around the world, 42% of the online connected population agree firmly with the statement “To me, it is important to always be reachable wherever I am” – and only 11% firmly disagree.
However, four countries – Germany, Sweden, Canada and Netherlands – run counter to this trend, with more of their connected consumers firmly disagreeing than agreeing.
According to a GfK survey of 22 countries, Russia and China have the highest levels of people online who agree strongly that it is important to them to be always reachable, wherever they are, standing at 56% each. They are followed by Turkey at 53%. These are the only countries surveyed where over half of their connected consumers agree strongly with that concept. Mexico comes close, with 50%, but there is then a drop to the next closest country: Poland at 41%.
Running against that international trend are Germany, Sweden, Canada and Netherlands. These countries are the only ones in the survey where greater numbers firmly disagree than agree with the idea that it is important to be always reachable.
In Germany, just over a third (34%) of respondents disagree strongly with that idea compared to 16% who firmly agree. They are followed by Sweden at 28% versus 22%, Canada at 24% versus 23%, and the Netherlands at 23% versus 22%.
Among the different age groups, people in their 30s show most leaning towards wanting to be always reachable – standing at nearly half (47%) firmly agreeing that it is important. Next come those in their 20s, at 45%, followed by teenagers (15-19 years old) at 43%. Those in their 40s run a very close fourth at 42%. However, for people aged 50 and over, the perceived need to be always reachable drops off significantly – standing at a third (33%) of those in their fifties and just 29% of people aged 60 and over.
Looking at the difference between genders, women are slightly more likely than men to see being always reachable wherever they are as being important (43% women versus 40% men). When it comes to those who firmly disagree with it being important, the difference is even narrower, standing at 10% of women and 11% of men.
