Over 70% of young adults surveyed in Japan have 'phone phobia

TOKYO -- More than 70% of those in their 20s and 30s in Japan have a phobia of the phone, a survey by an IT firm has revealed.

Sofutsu Co., based in Tokyo's Chuo Ward, conducted an online fact-finding survey on telephone operations between Aug. 4 and 7, targeting 562 people aged 20 or older who work at offices with landline phones.

When asked whether they felt uncomfortable talking on the phone, 57.8% of all respondents answered either "very much" or "somewhat." The percentage increased when the respondents were narrowed down to those in their 20s and 30s (268 people in total), with 72.7% in this group saying they weren't comfortable with telephones.

The company said, "The number of young people suffering from 'phone phobia' may be increasing due to the spread of social media messaging functions that have reduced opportunities to talk on the phone."

In addition, 44.8% of all respondents felt displeasure when the landline phone rang at work. The most common reason for this, chosen by 50.8%, was "I have to stop what I'm doing to answer it, which breaks my concentration." Other responses included, "I get worried if I can answer correctly with my knowledge," and, "When the person in charge is not available, I'm worried if I'll be able to properly catch what the caller is saying."

The average number of phone calls people answered at work per day was 7.4, and by age bracket, those in their 50s picked up the phone most frequently, at an average of 12.7 times per day. The average time spent per call was 3.1 minutes. Based on the average of 245 business days per year, this means that company employees spend an average of about 93 hours per year on the phone.

A Sofutsu representative commented, "This survey highlighted the current reality where many company employees spend a great deal of time and money on the phone in the workplace. As workstyles have become increasingly diverse in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, it is probably necessary to adjust the use of the phone, social media messaging functions and other means of communication accordingly to improve work efficiency."

Source